A beloved Hollywood talent manager who worked with actors like the late Chadwick Boseman and Julianne Moore has died by suicide.
Chris Huvane, a talent manager at Management 360 and a former magazine editor, died by suicide Sunday night after years of battling depression, Deadline reports. He was 47 years old.
Huvane’s death was confirmed Monday by his business partners, who said in a statement: ‘We are devastated beyond words this morning, Chris was simply “the best of the best.” A brilliant manager, consummate colleague and friend, a rock of our company and our culture, beloved by every single person who ever met him.
‘It’s an incalculable loss and our hearts go out to his family and friends,’ they said. ‘We are all better for having known Chris, and we commit to honoring his legacy everyday forward.’
Following the news of his passing, celebrities took to social media to share their condolences and decry the stigma of mental health issues.
Chris Huvane, a talent manager for some of Hollywood’s most famous actors, died of suicide Saturday night at the age of 47
Huvane worked for eight years at GQ Magazine, where he became West Coast Senior Editor. He is pictured here with Jason Bateman in 2008
Huvane was pictured with Rashida Jones during The Coach Luncheon to Benefit Peace Games
In a series of tweets Monday, Chris Cantwell co-creator and co-showrunner of the television drama Halt and Catch Fire remembered his time with Huvane, calling the late manager ‘a lionhearted man.
‘He was fearless in his career and in his life,’ Cantwell began. ‘He was loyal to his clients and he took a chance on two brand new writers in 2010 who were basically kids.
‘There is no Cantwell and Rogers writing team without Chris Huvane. There is no Halt and Catch Fire without Chris Huvane,’ he continued, noting: ‘As a boxer from the Bronx Chris was in your corner, giving you tough love when you just wanted to fall into the ropes.
‘He was frank and honest in a business when many are not, he was exceptionally kind, he was remarkably open about his struggles and wore himself on his sleeve.
‘This industry did not deserve a guy like Chris. He fought, he was a noble fighter, he was an advocate. He BELIEVED.
‘But f*** the Hollywood of it all,’ Cantwell wrote. ‘Chris struggled with mental health. So do I. I’ve been open about it. We were open about it with each other.
‘Last March, I had a pretty intense mental health crisis,’ Cantwell continued. ‘I haven’t told anyone this publicly, but I actually sought residential treatment.
‘I left a big show. I left my wife and kids for a month because the best thing to do was to take care of myself.
‘My colleagues were all supportive. Chris Huvane among the most. He wrote to me while I was away. He called me to check in on me. He cared that much.
‘When I was back, he was there for me,’ he said. ‘This happens to everyone in this situation, but now I wish I’d been there for him more.’
Scrubs actor Zach Braff also wrote that Huvane ‘suffered every hour with depression.
‘I did everything I could think of to try and lift his spirits,’ Braff wrote. ‘Once I made an entire regimen for him to do daily because I too have battled depression.
‘I will love you forever, Chris.’
Actress Zoe Deutch wrote in her Instagram story that he was the ‘most kind, honest generous, fiercely loyal and special person,’ while Julia Fox called him her ‘brother,’ saying: ‘You took care of everybody. You helped so many people. You changed so many people’s lives.’
Actor Glen Powell also noted that Huvane ‘guided me through some trying moments. He put empathy, authenticity and humanity into every waking moment,’ and Henry Winkler said he was ‘so thoughtful and knowledgeable and such a compassionate caretaker.’
And Jeff Sneider, the senior film reporter at Collider, said Huvane was ‘one of the first guys to give me the time of day as a young reporter, and that’s because he was the sweetest guy in addition to being a great manager.’
Following the announcement of his death on Monday, celebrities took to social media to pay their respects and urge others to seek counseling if they experience depression
Huvane was born on June 29, 1974 and grew up in Yonkers, New York.
His first exposure to the show business industry came while he was working as a bellhop at a high-end hotel in Manhattan, according to the Los Angeles Times. While carrying suitcases for celebrities, one day he met Julianne Moore, who later became one of his clients.
Huvane moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and worked in several different roles, first doing public relations for HBH before joining GQ Magazine, where he worked his way up to senior West Coast Editor.
He also dabbled in acting, with roles in Joel Schumacher’s 2000 film Tigerland and appearing as a waiter in Sex and the City.
Additionally, he served as a co-producer on the Mark Steven Johnson film Finding Steve McQueen in 2019 and was credited as an executive producer on the reality show It’s a Brad, Brad World about Brad Goreski.
Huvane first became a manager for the stars in 2010 when he joined Management 360, and by 2015, he was promoted to partner.
During his time there, Huvane represented such Hollywood stars as Chadwick Boseman, Margot Robbie, Jensen Ackles, Julianne Moore, Zoey Deutch, Zach Braff and Henry Winkler.
He said his experiences in showbusiness made him a better manager, as did his penchant for speaking his mind.
‘I think the most important thing for me is I always have an opinion, and I was always not afraid to share it because there’s not a person on Earth that I’m not afraid to share my opinion with, and it took off from there,’ he told The Homage Podcast in April 2020.
Huvane was known as one of the nicest guys in Hollywood. He is pictured here in 2007 with Kerry Washington and Jim Nelson, the editor-in-chief of GQ Magazine
Huvane also dabbled in show business himself with a minor role in Sex and the City. He is pictured with actress Carla Cugino in 2008
Outside of work, Huvane spent a lot of time boxing, riding motorcycles, getting tattoos and caring for animals, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
In October 2020, he wrote a piece for Leo Edit about his love for motorcycles, sharing that his first purchase was a Triumph Bonneville. ‘I worship Steven McQueen and he rode a Triumph Scrambler in The Great Escape, so of course Triumph was my first stop,’ he wrote.
Huvane also spent his free time building up several businesses in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including The Dime bar, which, the Hollywood Reporter says, has become an unofficial late night gathering spot for Hollywood insiders and music lovers. He also opened a new franchise location of Stout Burgers and Beer in Palm Springs.
In July 2021, Huvane first opened up about his battle with depression in a Facebook post. Along with a photo of him volunteering with Habitat for Humanity as part of an outing with Management 360, Huvane wrote: ‘I remember this day vividly. It was week four of crippling depression that lasted for a long time and still leaves me with shrapnel to this day.
‘I was finding it hard to find motivation to live despite having an abundance of reasons to live,’ he continued, noting that his ‘brain was wired incorrectly, causing me to have panic attacks for the first time in my 44 years.
‘Finding a little motivation helped,’ he wrote. ‘It actually got worse for me after this exact day, but seeing this photo really reminded me of that time in my life.
‘Moral of the day is that s*** can and will get better. You will need a lot of help from a lot of people. Learn to trust. You all know who you are.’
Huvane is survived by his wife, Cole; his father, Martin Huvane; and his siblings: Slate PR partner Stephen Huvane, CAAA partner Kevin Huvane, Robert Huvane, Michael Huvane and Denise Whalen.
If you or someone you know is exhibiting warning signs of suicide, seek help from a professional and call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-TALK (8255).