Jeffrey Carlson, Known For ‘All My Children’ Role As A Transgender Woman, Dies At 48

Jeffrey Carlson, the actor from the soap opera All My Children, has died at the age of 48. He was known for playing one of the first transgender characters on a daytime television series.

Actress Susan Hart shared the news in a Facebook post last week but a cause of death was not given.

Time Out New York theater critic Adam Feldman wrote a statement on Twitter regarding Carlson’s death.

RIP Jeffrey Carlson, 48, exposed-nerve star of Broadway (Billy in The Goat, Marilyn in Taboo) and TV (the groundbreaking trans character Zoe on All My Children). A powerful actor and a painful loss. pic.twitter.com/ZdZdmlKtTP

— Adam Feldman (@FeldmanAdam) July 9, 2023

Carlson first started out as a theater actor with Broadway roles in Taboo, Tartuffe and The Goat or Who Is Sylvia? He also starred in films like Hitch and The Killing Floor, but his most prominent role was in All My Children.

Carlson performed on the series since 2006. He first appeared as a male-presenting musician named Freddie “Zarf” Luper. The character then came out as a transgender lesbian named Zoe. This was the first time a daytime television series had included a storyline involving a transgender character coming out.

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The actor discussed the show on The View, mentioning that he spoke with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) to prepare for the role. “I’m learning new stuff every day, and we’re just filming those episodes right now where Zoe decides to tell the world that she’s herself,” he stated. “It takes her a long time, possibly 25 to 30 years of her life to have the courage.”

During this time, executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers said that All My Children “has a long-standing commitment to telling socially relevant stories that entertain and inform. Viewers can expect a heartfelt story between two people who share a common ground, yet learn about inherent differences and understanding. At its core, this is a story of acceptance and love.”