LA Comedy Veteran and Actor-Performer Alex Duong Dies at 42

Alex Duong, a comedian, writer, and actor based in Los Angeles (LA) who brought laughter to audiences, has died following an extended battle with a rare cancer. He was 42 years old.

A sudden devastating blow during a rare cancer battle… “Left a final goodbye for his daughter”

According to announcements made by international media and his family as of the 30th (local time), Alex Duong was admitted to St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica on Friday night after suffering septic shock. However, he ultimately did not recover and passed away the next morning. He had been battling the rare and aggressive malignant soft-tissue cancer “epithelioid rhabdomyosarcoma,” diagnosed last year.

In a statement shared by acquaintances, the late star closed his eyes peacefully while his wife, Christina, and his daughter, Everest, watched. In particular, it is said that the night before his death, his mind was clear enough for him to offer a final goodbye to his young daughter, the child he cherished most, adding even more heartbreak.

A 20-year acting career across the stage and screen… Resting in peace as a “Blue Bloods” spinoff approached

Alex Duong, who has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) since 2009, gained recognition by appearing in numerous popular productions, including the dramas ‘Dexter’, ‘Pretty Little Liars’, ‘90210’, and ‘The Young and the Restless’. In particular, he worked on Blue Bloods across three seasons, and it was recently reported that he had been preparing after receiving an offer to join the spinoff series from his fellow actor Donnie Wahlberg.

His talent as a writer was just as remarkable. He participated in writing Netflix’s ‘Historical Roasts’, and starting in 2021, he worked at the comedy hotspot ‘Comedy Store,’ where he built deep bonds with fellow comedians.

Close friendships in the comedy world… “Colleagues who protected each other when things got hard”

When news of his illness became known, well-known comedian Ronny Chieng, along with Atsuko Okatsuka and others, held a charity show called ‘Alex Duong Has Cancer in His Eyes’ to support him—raising money for surgery and treatment costs.

Before his passing, he also expressed deep gratitude for his colleagues’ support in an LA Times interview, saying, “When things get hard, comedians always watch each other’s backs. Because they know how difficult this life can be, the way they help one another is truly beautiful.”