Darren Criss announced the loss of his elder brother Charles on his Instagram account on Wednesday. In an emotional homage, the 35-year-old stated that his brother, whom he referred to as ‘Chuck,’ had committed himself. To read the complete tribute, scroll through the images below:
Darren Criss said that his younger brother was depressed. The Glee star, however, did not want to divulge the actual reason for his brother’s death since a “reductive” explanation would not express the fullness of his hardships. Charles’ death occurs two years after the loss of their father. Charles William Criss passed away in April of 2020. According to People magazine, he was suffering from a rare cardiac disease.
How old was Charles Criss?
At the time of his death, Charles Criss was 36 years old. He was a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist best known as a member of the New York-based band Freelance Whales. The band members met through Craigslist, an unusual way for a band to get discovered. Some of the bandmates were also from well-known social circles. Weathervanes, the band’s first album, was released in 2010. Diluvia, their second album, was released two years later. In addition to being a member of the band, Charles recorded a solo album in 2013.
Darren Criss shared in his tragic article about his creative talent:
“His excellent musical abilities, along with his lyrical observations of the world, resulted in a prodigious quantity of music that was eternally original, funny, entertaining, engaging, and beautiful to me… A suitable representation for his whole being.”
Darren and Charles Criss established their own rock band in their garage in high school. The pair renamed themselves Computer Games and released their first EP in 2017. Under Darren’s most recent Instagram post, followers expressed their sympathy. Among the many who read:
“I’m really sorry, Darren,” singer John Legend remarked. He also hailed the Emmy winner for her “wonderful tribute.”
Rachel Zegler added:
“Darren, I’m sorry. I’m sending you and your family my heartfelt condolences.”
Lucy Hale, an actress, stated:
“I’m very sorry for such a tragic loss, Darren. This is a lovely tribute. My heartfelt condolences to you, your family, his partner, three children, and everyone who knew him.”
Charles Criss was the father of three children. His two oldest children were from a prior marriage, while his youngest was from his current relationship.
