Buffy the Vampire Slayer Nicholas Brendon has passed away at the age of 54.The actor was best known for playing Xander Harris in the popular television series alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar. He also famously starred as Kevin Lynch in Criminal Minds.’We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes,’ his family said in a statement shared on his Instagram account on Friday.Four of Brendon’s family members were seen posing with him in a group photo that they shared alongside their statement.His family praised him for his passion for art and his ‘enthusiastic talent’ as they shared photos of him acting as well as some of his paintings.’Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years,’ the statement read.

‘In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art,’ it continued. ‘Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans.’His family described the multi-hyphenate artist as ‘passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create.’Hollywood villain at center of scrapped Buffy reboot unmasked, as secret NEW show plans are revealedarticle imageThose who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.’Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination and heart,’ his family members concluded in their joint statement.Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.’he statement shared by the late actor’s family was edited, but an earlier version published just hours earlier suggested that Brendon was going through treatment for an unspecified diagnosis at the time of his death.Per The Hollywood Reporter, his family previously wrote: ‘While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing.’