Taiwanese-Canadian actor Godfrey Gao, 35, passed away Wednesday morning following a cardiac arrest while participating on the Chinese variety show Chase Me.
His management Jetstar confirmed the news and issued a statement, as translated by WWD: "In the early hours of Nov. 27, our beloved Godfrey collapsed while filming on set. Unfortunately following three hours of medical rescue efforts, he left us. We are very shocked and saddened and even until now find it impossible to accept."
Chase Me is a TV show where celebrities participate in rigorous physical challenges such as obstacle courses. Its home network, Zhejiang Television, also issued a separate statement, echoing Jetstar's stated sequence of events leading up to Gao's passing and emphasizing that on set medical staff immediately gave medical attention to Gao when he collapsed. The network expressed great sadness over Gao's passing.
Gao modeled for Louis Vuitton, the first Asian model to appear in one of the luxury brand's campaigns. In Hollywood he starred in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and The Jade Pendant. In mainland China, he is best known for playing a disabled architect in a romantic soap opera, Remembering Lichuan (遇见王沥川).
His Remembering Lichuan co-star, Jiao Junyan (焦俊艳 ) made a post on Weibo remembering Gao, stating, "I was fortunate to complete [Remembering Lichuan] with you and fortunate to have met the warm and lovely you."
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