Veteran Broadway Actor and Original "The Little Mermaid" Cast Member Bret Hanna-Shuford Passes Away at 46

Known for his roles on Broadway in The Little Mermaid and other high-profile productions, actor Bret Hanna-Shuford has passed away from complications associated with cancer at the age of 46. The news was confirmed by his husband, Stephen Hanna-Shuford on Instagram. 

In the post, 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…”

Born in May of 1979 in Beaumont, Texas, Bret knew he wanted to perform on Broadway “at a very young age.” He later attended Wagner College, getting his Equity card from Paper Mill Playhouse soon after, and booking a role in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2005. That very same year, he was also in Beauty and the Beast. 

In 2007, he was part of the original Broadway cast of The Little Mermaid, where he was part of the ensemble but also served as the understudy for Prince Eric and Flotsam. He has also been in numerous other productions, including Wicked, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, A Wonderful Life, and Cirque du Soleil's Paramour. He has even jumped from stage to screen for roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Only Murders in the Building. 

Bret is also known for a social media presence along with his husband Stephen, as the pair often shared content about their Broadway careers and their attempt to start a family via surrogacy. According to TheaterMania, Bret was diagnosed in August with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and T-Cell Lymphoma, an immune disorder caused by the aggressive T-cell cancer. In addition to his son, Maverick, who was born in 2022, Bret is survived by his husband Stephen, and by his parents Preston and Deanna and brothers Todd, Eric and Bart.