Patrick Muldoon, Star of Days of Our Lives and Starship Troopers, Dies at 57

Patrick Muldoon, the American actor and producer best known for his role as Austin Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera "Days of Our Lives," died on April 19, 2026, at his Beverly Hills home following a heart attack. He was 57. His death was confirmed by his sister, Shana Muldoon Zappa, and by the show "Days of Our Lives." According to Shana Muldoon Zappa, Patrick had gone to take a shower on Sunday morning after having coffee with his partner at their home. Concerned by the amount of time that had passed, she went to check on him and found him unconscious on the bathroom floor. Resuscitation attempts by paramedics were unsuccessful. He is survived by his partner Miriam Rothbart, his parents Patrick Muldoon Sr. and Deanna Petrov, his sister Shana Muldoon Zappa, and his brother-in-law Ahmet Zappa.

Over 400 episodes and a Soap Opera Digest Award Muldoon rose to prominence in 1992 when he landed the role of Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives, a boxer caught in a love triangle between Carrie Brady and her sister Sami Brady. He portrayed the character until 1995 and later reprised the role in 2011 and 2012, appearing in more than 400 episodes across both stints. For his work on the show, he won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer in 1994. After leaving "Days of Our Lives," Muldoon joined the cast of the Aaron Spelling nighttime soap "Melrose Place," where he played the villainous fashion designer Richard Hart from 1995 to 1996. His character was involved in a storyline with fellow designer Jane Andrews Mancini, played by Josie Bissett, whom he betrayed professionally and sexually assaulted. The role cemented his reputation as a capable dramatic actor capable of portraying morally complex characters.

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Starship Troopers role brought international recognition On the big screen, Muldoon gained international recognition playing Zander Barcalow in Paul Verhoeven's 1997 science-fiction film "Starship Troopers," in which he starred alongside Casper Van Dien and Denise Richards. The film, a satirical military science-fiction production, cast Muldoon as the ambitious Fleet pilot and romantic rival of the lead character. He went on to appear in the 1999 supernatural thriller "Stigmata," directed by Rupert Wainwright, and in subsequent years took on roles in television movies for the Hallmark and Lifetime networks. Born in San Pedro, California, Muldoon had begun his acting career while still a student at the University of Southern California, where he also played for the Trojans football team and modeled for the Wilhelmina Agency. His early television credits included appearances on the ABC sitcom "Who's the Boss?" and the NBC morning series "Saved by the Bell." Friends remembered him warmly in statements provided to Deadline.

„Endlessly generous with his poetry, his humor and his unmistakable presence, Muldoon loved animals and people alike, gave unforgettable hugs and possessed the rare quality of making others feel safe and understood.” — Friends of Patrick Muldoon via Deadline

Final film and a producing career cut short In addition to acting, Muldoon had built a substantial career as an executive producer through his company Storyboard Productions, working on films including "The Card Counter" (2021), "Marlowe" (2022), "Riff Raff" (2024), and "Arkansas." His final acting role is in the upcoming crime thriller "Dirty Hands," directed by Kevin Interdonato, in which he plays Richie Denton, one of two brothers forced to fight for survival after a drug deal goes wrong. The film, which also stars Denise Richards and Michael Beach, is scheduled for release in the coming months. At the time of his death, Muldoon was also serving as executive producer on "Kockroach," a film directed by Matt Ross and starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, Zazie Beetz, and Alec Baldwin, which was still in production in Australia. Just two days before his death, he had posted on Instagram expressing enthusiasm for the project. Parallel to his screen career, Muldoon was also the singer and frontman of the rock band The Sleeping Masses. He was 57 years old.

Patrick Muldoon's career unfolded during a golden era of American daytime and primetime soap operas. "Days of Our Lives" premiered on NBC on November 8, 1965, and became one of the longest-running scripted television programs in American history. "Melrose Place," produced by Aaron Spelling, ran from 1992 to 1999 and was a defining primetime soap of the 1990s. Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers," released in 1997, became a cult science-fiction film noted for its satirical take on militarism.