Broadway actor and social media personality Bret Hanna-Shuford has died at the age of 46.
His husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford, shared the news in an Instagram post on Saturday. Bret built a respected career onstage, appearing in major Broadway productions such as Wicked, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Amazing Grace, and later connected with a wider audience through his uplifting presence and creative work online.
His husband wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that early this morning we said goodbye to the most amazing man, husband and Papa in the universe.”
“Bret Hanna-Shuford left this world peacefully with love surrounded by his family.
Our hearts are broken but we will continue to make him proud of us…”
During the summer, Bret was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis — both rare conditions that affect the immune system, according to Entertainment Weekly. After his diagnosis, his longtime friend Scott Barnhardt created a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses, which raised more than $300,000. Barnhardt has since asked for continued support for Bret’s husband, Stephen, and their 3-year-old son, Maverick.
Born in 1979, Bret discovered his love for performing as a child. On his website, he recalled falling in love with movie musicals before kindergarten and joining a local kids’ performance group at age 6. He later launched his professional career in stage adaptations of classic animated musicals, including Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, where he also met his future husband, ballet dancer and actor Stephen Hanna.
Bret went on to perform in Broadway and stage productions such as Wicked, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour, and Amazing Grace. His screen credits included a small role in The Wolf of Wall Street and appearances on Law & Order: SVU, Only Murders in the Building, and The Good Fight. He also did voice work for the popular video game Red Dead Redemption 2.
Together, Bret and Stephen ran the Instagram account “Broadway Husbands,” where they shared their lives as performers, partners, and parents to Maverick. Bret also worked as a life coach and created content on YouTube to inspire aspiring actors. He had been pursuing a graduate degree at the University of Central Florida before pausing his studies for treatment.
He is survived by his husband, Stephen, and their son, Maverick.