A member of the boy band that got Jesse McCartney his big start in music has died. Dream Street's Chris Trousdale, who was also a television actor like McCartney, has passed away at the age of 34 due to complications from COVID-19.
Chris Trousdale passed away in a hospital in Burbank, California, on Tuesday night. The news of his death coming from a battle with COVID-19 comes from TMZ, with the outlet reporting that the news came from a family member of the former pop star.
Chris Trousdale joined the boy band Dream Street at the age of 14. Alongside singer Jesse McCartney, the boys would spawn two albums before a lawsuit between the parents and their management group brought an end to the group. Chris Trousdale continued to hang around Hollywood, and had guest spots in television shows like Lucifer, Days of Our Lives, and Shake It Up!.
News of Chris Trousdale's passing was later confirmed by his official account on Twitter, though it was said Trousdale died of an "undisclosed illness." The statement requested that, while the family understood that the singer and actor meant something to many people, their privacy be respected. Those wishing to help were encouraged to make a donation to the ASPCA in his honor.
Chris Trousdale’s music career continued post-Dream Street, and he even tried to mix that world with his budding television career. This led to his audition on The Voice in 2013, which ended when all four coaches passed on him in the audition round. On the episode, Trousdale expressed sadness at not being able to recapture the success of his youth, and being recognized by fans at his day job who didn't understand why he wasn't living his dream (via Dailymail).
Though his wheelhouse was between pop music and television in latter years, Chris Trousdale's first break into show business was on the stage. Trousdale was a part of a traveling production of Les Miserables at age 8 that included actress Ashley Tisdale, and later joined the Broadway run of the show at age 10 at the same time as Lea Michele. Trousdale's work on the stage eventually caught the eye of producers, who enlisted him to join the ranks of Dream Street.
Chris Trousdale did find a solid amount of acting work through Disney, and appeared on the aforementioned Shake It Up! and Austin and Ally. Trousdale also saw some success with some music he created with artists Play and Nikki Cleary on Radio Disney, but stepped away from his career shortly after to help care for his sick mother.
CinemaBlend would like to extend its condolences to the family of Chris Trousdale and wish them well during this difficult time.
