Billy Miller’s mother explains the soap star’s cause of death
The mother of “The Young and the Restless” and “General Hospital” actor Billy Miller clarifies the cause of her son’s death.
Miller, who died Friday at age 43, “gave his life to bipolar depression,” Patricia said in a statement to Miller on Monday Soap Opera Digest.
Miller’s manager Marnie Sparer previously told the Times that the Daytime Emmy-winning actor was “struggling with manic depression at the time of his death,” although no exact cause or manner of death was announced at the time.
“I would like to personally thank the many fans and personal friends for the overwhelming amount of love, prayers and condolences that have been extended to me and my family on the devastating death of my beautiful son BJ – Billy Miller,” Patricia Miller’s statement read .
“He fought hard and bravely for years against bipolar depression. He did everything he could to control the disease. “He loved his family, his friends and his fans, but in the end the disease won and he gave up on his life,” she added.
The actor’s mother said the other reported causes of death were “not true.”
“I wish they were, but they just aren’t,” she said. “We all loved him so much and are desperately trying to cope with our loss. I won’t have anything else to say. Thank you for the love and support.”
Miller, who also appeared in Suits, Ray Donovan and Castle, was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and grew up in Grand Prairie, Texas. After graduating from the University of Texas, he moved to Los Angeles, where he was one of only 20 students accepted into the film department’s prestigious production sequence program.
He won the Daytime Emmy for Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2010, 2013 and 2014 for his portrayal of Billy Abbott on “The Young and the Restless” – a role he played in more than 700 episodes over the course of six years.
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Miller received additional Daytime Emmy nominations for his work on “Y&R” as well as another long-running soap opera, “General Hospital.” He portrayed twin brothers Jason Morgan and Drew Cain in nearly 600 episodes spanning six years of the latter daytime drama.
“The daytime community mourns the loss of Billy Miller, who graced Y&R with his talent as Billy Abbott for many years. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones,” said the CBS soap’s spokesperson Instagram Account said in a statement released Monday.
The entertainer also had an alternative career as a restaurateur, owning several bars and restaurants in the Los Angeles area.
Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.
