Model Godfrey Gao, 35, who was the first Asian man to front a Louis Vuitton campaign dies from a sudden cardiac arrest while on the set of a variety show in China
- Gao was the first Asian model to lead Louis Vuitton campaign
- He collapsed in the eastern city of Ningbo while on the set of Chase Me, a competitive sports reality show on China’s Zhejiang Television
- Gao had slowed and fallen to the ground while running during filming, the network said
- Across social media, many people paid tribute to the late model-actor
Taiwanese-Canadian actor and supermodel Godfrey Gao, the first Asian model to be the face of Louis Vuitton, died while filming a TV show in China on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Gao collapsed in the eastern city of Ningbo while on the set of Chase Me, a competitive sports reality show on China’s Zhejiang Television.
Gao had slowed and fallen to the ground while running during filming, and that the hospital had confirmed it was a sudden cardiac death, a statement from the network said.
Gone too soon: Taiwanese-Canadian actor and supermodel Godfrey Gao, 35, the first Asian to be the face of Louis Vuitton, died while filming a TV show in China on Wednesday
His management company Jetstar Entertainment said in a statement posted on the Twitter-like Weibo platform that Gao had fainted and was declared dead after nearly three hours of medical care.
The statement thanked ‘every fan who loves Godfrey’ and said his death was ‘extremely painful.’
The company continued: ‘We are very shocked and saddened and even until now find it impossible to accept. Thank you media friends and every fan of Godfrey’s for their concern. His management and team were present and his family were urgently rushed to the location.’
In 2011, Gao became the first Asian model to be signed by Louis Vuitton.
Tragic circumstances: Gao collapsed in the eastern city of Ningbo while on the set of Chase Me, a competitive sports reality show in China’s Zhejiang Television
Debonair: The handsome model/actor had taken to Instagram in a tux in a series of shots last week
The model had also ventured into film, having appeared in movies in both China and Hollywood. They included the 2019 Chinese film Shanghai Fortress, and the 2013 title, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones and The Jade Pendant.
His co-star on the film Jamie Campbell took to Instagram to react to the sad news on Wednesday night.
Campbell posted a sweet black and white snap of the two men cuddles up with the caption: ‘our friend. Heartbroken’
‘our friend. Heartbroken’: His co-star on the film Jamie Campbell took to Instagram to react to the sad news on Wednesday night
He had next been slated to appear in a romantic comedy titled The Wedding Bible, according to iMDb.
Across social media, many people paid tribute to the late model-actor.
‘Condolences to family and friends, may he rest In peace,’ one user wrote, while CNN’s Jeff Yang said, ‘Heartbreaking. He was just 35. We saw him at an event earlier this year. I can’t believe this.’
Feedback: A number of people took to Twitter to pay memorial to the late model-actor