Abigail Breslin paid tribute to her late My Sister’s Keeper costar Evan Ellingson after his death at age 35.
“Evan Ellingson was a kind, funny and extremely talented human being,” Breslin, 27, wrote via Instagram on Monday, November 6, noting that Ellingson played her big brother in the 2009 film. “Evan was a genuinely thoughtful person who cared so much about turning in the best performance, which he accomplished. Some of his scenes in MSK still give me chills. He was also silly, funny, a prankster, a lover of Red Bull (I hated the smell of Red Bull 😂) and he was energetic and the life of the party.”
Breslin said that she and Ellingson “didn’t keep in touch a lot” after making the movie, but she’s thought of him often in the years since. “He always stayed in my mind as a wonderful and sweet soul, one I am grateful to have crossed paths with,” she wrote. “My prayers and condolences are with his family at this difficult time.”
She ended her tribute with a direct message to Ellingson, writing: “Evan, I know Heaven will welcome you with open arms. Your time on this earth may have been, devastatingly, short. Your humor, exuberance, kindness and bright light will linger forever. Sending you peace on your journey to the great beyond and who knows … maybe one day, I’ll meet you in Montana.”
Breslin also added a postscript asking fans not to “speculate” on the circumstances of Ellingson’s death “out of respect for his family including his daughter.”
Ellingson was found dead in a bedroom at his home in Fontana, California, on Sunday, November 5, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s coroners division. A cause of yet has not been determined, but an autopsy was scheduled for Monday.
Ellingson’s father, Michael, told TMZ that his son was staying in a sober living home at the time of his death, adding that his family was shocked by his passing.
Prior to appearing in My Sister’s Keeper, Ellingson got his start as a child actor on TV series including Titus, General Hospital and That Was Then. He later played Jack Bauer’s nephew Josh on 24 and had a small role in the Clint Eastwood film Letters From Iwo Jima.
At the time of his death, Ellingson hadn’t appeared on screen in more than a decade. His last role was on CSI: Miami as Kyle Harmon, the son of Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and Julia Winston (Elizabeth Berkley). Ellingson appeared in 18 episodes of the series from 2007 to 2010.
