Actor Michael Heslin's Sudden Passing At 35 Leads Husband To File Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The circumstances surrounding Michael Heslin's death have come under scrutiny a year after his passing.

The actor, best known for "Lioness" and "The Holiday Proposal Plan," died of a sudden heart attack while celebrating his birthday in Las Vegas.

Michael Heslin's husband, Scotty Dynamo, has now filed a wrongful-death lawsuit, alleging restaurant staff failed to provide lifesaving aid and blocked attempts at CPR.

On September 18, Heslin's husband, Scotty Dynamo, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that restaurant staff failed to provide lifesaving aid and that the tragedy was avoidable.

According to the complaint, Heslin showed "obvious signs of a medical emergency," yet employees did not summon help or use an on-site AED, which is said to have been available but never retrieved.

The suit further alleges that a fellow diner who tried to administer CPR was forcefully interfered with by staff, and that Heslin's friends were "forcibly removed" from the premises and threatened with arrest when they attempted to assist.

Besides allegedly preventing people from helping Heslin, witnesses claim the Vegas restaurant's employees also demanded that the recordings of the incident be deleted.

Now, five counts are being pursued: wrongful death; loss of consortium; negligence; negligent hiring, retention, training, and supervision; and gross negligence, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $30,000, funeral expenses, and punitive damages, alleging Heslin's death was "a direct and proximate result" of the defendants' acts and omissions.

In a heartfelt Instagram tribute, Dynamo described Heslin's death as an unimaginable shock, noting that he was "young, in perfect health, and the doctors have no explanation for what happened."

He remembered Heslin as "brilliant, selfless, talented, and a real-life guardian angel," the person friends turned to both in moments of joy and in times of need.

"He truly was the sweetest, most caring, and loving man on earth, and he brought out the absolute best in everyone who had the pleasure to cross paths with him," Dynamo wrote. "He moved through life with such ease and confidence, and turned everyone around him into a better version of themselves."

He added: "No matter how difficult things got, we knew that there was nothing we couldn't overcome with Mike in our corner."

Opening up about their life together, Dynamo shared that Heslin "single-handedly carried me through multiple rounds of cancer," and described meeting him as "the best thing to ever happen to me."

Dynamo shared that just a week before Heslin's sudden death, they were "in the early stages of starting a family and would regularly share our favorite baby names for our future kids."

"You always told me that you felt like you were meant to be a dad, and I couldn't agree more," he wrote. "You would be the world's most perfect father. If I ever become a dad, I am going to name my son after you and hope that I manage to raise him to become at least half the man you are."

Dynamo also revealed that Heslin was an organ donor, and in the wake of his passing, he was able to "give the gift of life to four different families."

In the comments, fans shared their condolences with one writing: "I'm very sad and sorry about hearing about Michael. Your constellation. Your True North. Beloved together and forever is a unity and bond that's eternal."

Another added, "So sorry for your loss. Heartbroken for you."

Born in California, Heslin earned a BFA in Directing from the Boston Conservatory, according to his official website.

He appeared as Polo in two episodes of the Taylor Sheridan series "Lioness" in 2023 and created and starred in "The Influencers" in 2020, a scripted mockumentary that streamed on Prime Video and was nominated for a Queerty Award.

Heslin also featured in the Lifetime Christmas movie "The Holiday Proposal Plan," the Noggin series "In Their Shoes: A Journey Into Homelessness," and the TV Land series "Younger."

In the 2020 movie "BoyFriends*," he co-produced and co-starred as Rupert. His short film "Happy Halloween" went on to win several awards at horror festivals, including Best First-Time Director.