Vale: Willie Garson

US actor Willie Garson, best known for Sex and The City and White Collar has died, aged 57.

His son confirmed the news on social media, but a cause of death has not been made public.

Garson played Stanford Blatch, the stylish talent agent friend of SATC‘s Carrie Bradshaw. According to IMDb, he was set to appear in the upcoming spinoff miniseries And Just Like That…, having already appeared in the original series and its two movies.

A statement from HBO said: “Willie Garson was in life, as on screen, a devoted friend and a bright light for everyone in his universe. He created one of the most beloved characters from the HBO pantheon and was a member of our family for nearly 25 years. We are deeply saddened to  learn of his passing and extend our sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Executive producer Michael Patrick King said Garson had been ill during the filming.

“His spirit and his dedication to his craft was present every day filming And Just Like That,” he said.

“He was there — giving us his all — even while he was sick.”

On White Collar he played Mozzie, a fellow conman and best friend of Neal (Matt Bomer).

His TV credits also included NYPD Blue, Twin Peaks, Friends, The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ally McBeal, Stargate SG-1 and the reboot of Hawaii Five-0.

His film credits include There’s Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, Fever Pitch and Groundhog Day.

Source: ABC, The Guardian