American Horror Story star Gavin Creel dies aged 48

Tributes have poured in for the award-winning actor

His publicist Matt Polk announced Creel's passing on Tuesday, saying that the TV and Broadway actor had been suffering from a "rare and aggressive" cancer.

Creel was best known for his theatre career, which included roles in hit musicals such as Hello Dolly! and The Book of Mormon.

Creel won a Tony award for his role in Hello Dolly! in 2017, the BBC reports.

He starred opposite Bette Midler in the production, and in a post on Instagram she paid tribute to the "radiant actor."

She wrote: "I looked forward to working with him every single night. He was fantastic. I can’t believe he’s gone. What a loss."

Along with his Tony award, Creel won a prestigious Olivier award for his role as Elder Price in The Book Of Mormon during its West End run in 2014. He continued in the role on Broadway.

The likes of Hannah Waddingham and Lin-Manuel Miranda have also paid tribute to the late actor.

In a post on X, Waddingham said she was "shaken to my core" by his passing, whilst Miranda - who cast Creel as his first King George III in his hit musical Hamilton - paid tribute to the actor's "mind-blowing charisma and talent."

Along with his successful theatre career, Creel will also be known to many for his appearance in American Horror Story.

He starred as Troy in the first season of Ryan Murphy's hit miniseries.

His other TV appearances included starring opposite Dame Julie Andrews in TV movies Eloise At The Plaza and Eloise At Christmastime in the early 2000s.

Other famous faces to pay tribute to Creel were Frozen stars Idina Menzel and Josh Gad.

Gad wrote on Instagram: "Sometimes, I don’t have the right words to describe my sadness. Today is one of those days.

"We have lost someone far too young, far too early still in his journey and far too impactful to our creative community. My heart breaks for his family and his closest friends. This is just not fair. We will never forget you @realgavincreel"