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General Hospital star Johnny Wactor took up bartending at Downtown LA nightclub Sinners y Santos nightclub to make ends meet despite battling drinking problem, friends reveal
Tragic General Hospital star Johnny Wactor was working in a 'cathedral style' nightclub in Los Angeles on the night he died and had barely had an acting gig in three years, DailyMail.com can exclusively disclose.
The 37-year-old actor had taken up a job bartending to make ends meet, despite having battled a drinking problem, at the new Sinners y Santos in Downtown LA - just a few blocks away from where he would be shot dead on Saturday.
Family members previously told DailyMail.com that the 'southern gentleman' had been escorting a female co-worker to her vehicle at the time and shielded her with his body when a trio of thieves attempting to steal the catalytic converter from his car opened fire.
The woman has since been identified as fellow nightclub worker Anita Joy after she broke her silence in a series of heartbreaking Instagram posts Wednesday recalling his heroic final moments.
She referred to Wactor as her friend of 'eight years' and described how he 'fought to stay alive' before ultimately dying in her arms.
Now, several of his fellow actor friends have spoken further of Wactor's 'selfless', and noble nature and revealed how he had taken up a job as a bartender at the new Sinners y Santos nightclub after struggling to find roles following the strike.
Exclusive DailyMail.com photos also show the desolate spot where the star lost his life, with a tattered piece of police tape still lingering on a heavily graffitied shop front nearby.
The woman who was with Johnny Wactor on the night he was shot dead has been identified as his nightclub coworker, Anita Joy, (pictured left of Wactor) who broke her silence in a series of heartbreaking posts Wednesday describing his final heroic moments
Above is the desolate sidewalk – with a tattered piece of police tape still lingering – on Hope Street, in Downtown LA, where Wactor was tragically gunned down on Saturday while trying to protect his female friend during the theft
The site of the Hope Street shooting is less than two blocks and a five-minute walk from the nightlife venue where Wactor worked.
Wactor had struggled to get acting work in recent years, with a source telling DailyMail.com he had been trying to make ends meet by working at the club.
The insider said: 'He hadn't worked a lot in the last three years and was trying to subsidize his income by working at a bar.
'He was moving into the producing end of the business so he could have more control over how much he would work.
'Everybody liked him and the other actors and the fans were sad when his General Hospital storyline died out.
'He never gave up hoping he might be asked back but so far, his phone wasn't ringing.
'Such is the world of soap operas.'
One of eight clubs, bars, and restaurants in the Level 8 entertainment complex attached to the Downtown AC and Moxy hotels, Sinners y Santos opened in October 2023 and specializes in agave-based cocktails.
The venue is known for live DJs and its cathedral-themed décor which includes vast stained-glass windows and spectacular views of the LA skyline.
The club, which is owned by LA nightlife gurus Mark and Jonnie Houston, is entered through a a confessional, with partygoers asked to admit to their sins before going inside.
Once in Sinners y Santos, there is a DJ booth disguised as a church organ while cocktails are served at a vast Gothic millwork and stained glass bar.
The General Hospital star had taken up a job at the new extravagant nightclub, Sinners y Santos, known for live DJs and its cathedral-themed décor which includes vast stained-glass windows and spectacular views of the LA skyline
Wactor died in Anita's arms after trying to protect her from armed thieves, following their shift at the nightclub, she revealed
Anita shared a series of photos with Wactor posing with his fellow nightclub staff, while calling on the operators of the venue to provide parking for late hour employees
The 37-year-old actor and bartender is seen arm wrestling with another coworker at the bar in a photo shared by a friend
A source at the club, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said of Wactor's murder: 'It's just tragic. All this because of a catalytic converter. It's just senseless.'
Anita, who was Wactor's co-worker at the club, revealed he was shot at close range as the pair were walking to their cars after finishing a bartending shift.
'Everything happened in an instant. I've come to describe it as a glass of water that gets tipped over and you're scrambling to grab it and save it from spilling out completely but it just runs through your fingertips and is gone,' she wrote in an Instagram post.
'Johnny was between me and the man who shot him — as I heard the shot ring into the night, he forcefully tumbled back into my arms and as I grabbed for him, I shouted, 'Hunny, you ok?!'
'And he only responded, 'Nope! Shot!' We toppled onto the street, where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body up while screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with me.'
Joy went on to say that a bouncer from the bar where they worked ran over and performed but the damage was done.
'It was too close range, too extreme of a wound for him to survive it. But my God, he fought to stay.'
Friend Megan Le told DailyMail.com she wasn't surprised to learn Wactor's last act of bravery was to protect his co-worker.
Le, an actress and stuntwoman who was in the same acting class as Wactor, said he always made it a point to walk his friends to their cars if they ever had a late night somewhere, whether it be at a shoot or leaving from their acting class at Stuart Rogers Studios in North Hollywood.
Anita, who was Wactor's co-worker at the club, revealed he was shot at close range as the pair were walking to their cars after finishing a bartending shift
Sinners y Santos opened in October 2023 and specializes in agave-based cocktails
The nightclub is one of eight clubs, bars, and restaurants in the Level 8 entertainment complex attached to the Downtown AC and Moxy hotel building
'Without absolute question, Johnny was the type of man who would jump in and protect someone,' Le said.
'There were times when we would leave class past 11pm and just like most places in LA, it can be scary at night.
'He lived walking distance from the studio, but he always made it a point to walk me to my car to make sure I was safe. And when I would ask him if I can drive him, he would always say, 'No, I'm happy. I like a nice walk at night.'
Another friend and fellow acting student, West Liang echoed Le's comments about the standup and kind-hearted actor.
'Even in his last moment, he put himself in harm's way for someone else,' Liang said in tears. 'That's just who he was and it's so unfair what happened to him.'
Le, who was in a movie with Wactor called RELIC, revealed he had been taking acting classes in LA for at least six years but was eventually forced to take a break from the course to focus on his role in General Hospital.
After leaving the soap in 2022, Wactor returned to the Monday night class and took up a job bartending despite the fact he was still in AA, she revealed.
'Work in the industry has not come back like it was supposed to so everybody is struggling. Johnny and a lot of people in my community take other jobs to make ends meet,' Le said.
'While he was on General Hospital he wasn't in our acting class because that took up a lot of his time, but when that ended, he started coming back to the class. And then the SAG strike happened, and we were all out there [picketing].
Wactor appeared on over 160 episodes of General Hospital as the character Brando Corbin from 2020 to 2022. He is pictured in the show alongside actress Laura Wright
Fellow actors and friends West Liang (left) and Megan Le who were in the same acting class as Wactor, revealed he had been struggling to find roles after the strike and had taken up bartending to make ends meet
The site of the Hope Street shooting is less than two blocks and a five-minute walk from the nightlife venue where Wactor worked
'When he and I shot [the film project] in February, he had gone back into bartending because those residuals weren't enough to cover everything,' she added.
Liang described his late friend as the type of actor who knew how to 'survive' and 'navigate' the humbling blows and setbacks that most of them face in Hollywood, with a sense of 'self-worth.'
'He didn't have a big ego and he took that [bar] job. He showed up for his friends. I think that's what Johnny was able to do so beautifully. He was able to have a strong sense of self-worth, but he was able to be there for his friends,' Liang said.
At the time of his death, Wactor had been in a good place in his substance abuse battle, Le revealed.
'He found his peace without alcohol, and he would say he just felt much better without it.'
Le revealed students at the acting class this week decorated Johnny's regular seat at the theater with flowers as a tribute to their friend.
Los Angeles has been plagued by a wave of catalytic converter thefts and earned the unwanted distinction of being the leading US city for such crimes in 2023, with the LAPD recording more than 19,000 last year.
The devices, which are used to help reduce toxic emissions in car exhaust systems, can be found in most vehicles on the road, but have become more attractive to thieves due to the precious metals found in the converter.
Catalytic converters are made with an array of valuable metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium – which have a high resale value.
The problem has become so acute, LA County's own sheriff's department declared the city a 'hotspot' for the crime last year while the LAPD runs regular events showing residents how to etch their catalytic converters to make the job of recovering them easier.
The three suspects are said to have driven away from the scene. Wactor was rushed to a hospital, where he died. There have been no arrests; Emergency personnel are pictured at the scene
Wactor is pictured above in a family photo with his mother, and two brothers. His family is asking the public for help in bringing his body back to his native South Carolina
For Wactor, a veteran actor whose credits outside General Hospital include Siberia, and Criminal Minds, the police's efforts to tackle the thefts has come too late.
Although Wactor rarely updated his social media pages, what photos do exist show the 37-year-old enjoying life and the great outdoors.
Tributes paid to him on his Instagram include one from a formerly homeless man who said the actor had once handed him a $100 bill.
The user, who uses the handle simonvondraco, said: 'At the time I was a homeless person due to life circumstances and you gave me a dollar of 100.
'Thank you for having taught me just with that action, Mr. Wactor, I really didn't know your work or your work. I just found out and I'm sorry. I hope you find eternal peace in the other world, thank you for helping me in life.'
His General Hospital co-stars have also paid tribute to him with onscreen wife Sofia Mattson describing herself as heartbroken on her Instagram account following his death.
She wrote: 'My heart is so utterly broken… Johnny was the absolute best. So genuine. So caring. Incredibly hard working and humble.
Kirsten Storms films a scene with Johnny Wactor on the set of General Hospital
Johnny Wactor's ex-fiancée Tessa Farrell is keeping the actor's memory alive by still wearing her engagement ring; She is seen with the ring in a video posted to her Instagram on Tuesday
'With a huge heart that spread so much kindness and joy. He always made sure everyone around him felt seen, heard and loved. I admire the man he was so much and I'm a better person for having known him.
'We shared so many special moments, both on and off screen, and I will forever cherish them deeply in my heart.
'You will be so incredibly missed Johnny… I'm sure you're already busy taking care of everyone up there.'
Kristen Storms, another former co-star, also paid tribute to the actor on social media, writing: 'I'm in a state of disbelief and complete sadness. I don't typically do posts like this, but Johnny was such a special person and it feels important (for me) to put these words out there.
'To @johnnywactor 's mother and family, I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
'Johnny was one of those rare 'real individuals' that you almost never come across.
'I was fortunate enough to have some really good conversations with him where we discussed things I don't typically open up about.
'For some reason, we talked about the deep stuff. He was a safe space for those conversations and, in turn, he would talk about his life. He genuinely cared about people and their journeys in life.'
She added: 'During his time on GH I witnessed him work hard and truly have respect for every single person in our building. I just cannot believe that his life was stolen from him the way it was. My heart hurts. RIP Johnny.'