Mike Heslin, known for his role in Taylor Sheridan’s action-drama “Special Ops: Lioness,” died on Tuesday following “an unexpected cardiac event,” according to his husband. Heslin was 30 years old.
The actor’s death was shared on Instagram by husband Scotty Dynamo (also known as Nicolas Wilson), who wrote, “On July 2nd, my husband, best friend, and soulmate @mikeheslin passed away from an unexpected cardiac event after a week long battle in the hospital. Michael was young, in perfect health, and the doctors have no explanation for what happened.”
“Michael was brilliant, selfless, talented, and a real-life guardian angel. He single-handedly carried me through multiple rounds of cancer. He was the first person everyone would call to share good news with, and he was the perfect person to call if they needed a shoulder to lean on or the best advice. He truly was the sweetest, most caring, and loving man on earth, and he brought out the absolute best in everyone who had the pleasure to cross paths with him. He moved through life with such ease and confidence, and turned everyone around him into a better version of themselves. No matter how difficult things got, we knew that there was nothing we couldn’t overcome with Mike in our corner.”
“Michael, meeting you was the best thing to ever happen to me. You are my world. You are everything to me. When I felt you take your last breath, my heart shattered into a million pieces. If I had the power to trade places with you, I would do it in an instant. But I will take it one day at a time like you always told me to, and live every day in your honor,” Dynamo continued.
“Just a week ago, we were in the early stages of starting a family and would regularly share our favorite baby names for our future kids. You always told me that you felt like you were meant to be a dad, and I couldn’t agree more. You would be the world’s most perfect father. If I ever become a dad, I am going to name my son after you and hope that I manage to raise him to become at least half the man you are.”
“You were the most generous and giving person. It brings me peace to know that, through your wish to be a donor, you have given the gift of life to four different families. We are 3 weeks away from your birthday and 4 months shy of our 1 year wedding anniversary, but I know that you are in a better place and that heaven has gained another angel. Michael, in the words of Shania Twain: I’ll love you ‘forever and always.’”
Heslin played Polo in two episodes of “Special Ops: Lioness.” His credits also include “Younger,” “The Influencers” and “The Holiday Proposal Plan.”
In addition to acting in “The Influencers,” Heslin was the show’s creator, writer and director. In an interview with Film Inquiry, he explained the project began while he was working in social media in between acting jobs.
“While there are so many influencers out there who are incredibly smart and business savvy, I happened to interact with a few individuals who, while beautiful and kind, didn’t have much of a real skillset,” Heslin said. “I started to wonder how those individuals would fare if they had to prove themselves in an unfiltered forum and thus, the idea for ‘The Influencers’ was born.”
The show also starred his husband as his character’s partner, Tyler. Heslin explained that his husband is “even more versed in this world than I am” and added, “I’m by no means knocking influencers or coming for anyone’s hustle. But I do think that social media makes it even easier for people to compare themselves to others and can generate feelings of inadequacy, especially in our youth.”
“The show is merely a reminder to us all that what you see online, is rarely what you get in real life and that we all should be able to laugh at ourselves at the end of the day and not give anything too much power over our lives,” he said.
Heslin is survived by his husband.
