Godfrey Gao, a Taiwanese-Canadian model and actor who appeared in the 2013 film The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, died Wednesday morning after he collapsed on the set of a Chinese reality TV show.
The actor was appearing on Chase Me, a show that has celebrities go up against regular contestants in a series of challenges meant to push them to their physical limits. Gao "suddenly fell down to the ground while running, medical staff treated him on the spot, he was then rushed to the hospital for treatment, according to a statement from the show's producers. Per reports, an audience member heard Gao yell “I can’t carry on” before he collapsed.
The 35-year-old was resuscitated, but ultimately died at a nearby hospital some three hours later. The hospital later confirmed the actor's sudden cardiac death.
Reality TV shows have become increasingly popular in China, so studios have pushed the boundaries of what their contestants are physically capable of. The actor's death has many calling for Chase Me to be canceled, and a boycott of Zhejiang Television, the channel that airs the reality show series.
Gao was born in Taiwan but moved to Canada when he was a child. He is perhaps best known for his modeling career, becoming the first Asian man to model for Louis Vuitton.
Fans and actors alike shared tributes to Gao on Twitter.
