Bree Williamson is mourning her husband, animator Michael John Roberts, after his death from glioblastoma.
The “One Life to Live” actress, 44, and Roberts’ family announced in an official obituary that the “BoJack Horseman” animator and director died Wednesday at the couple’s Los Angeles home following a brief battle with the aggressive brain cancer. Williamson and Roberts shared a 15-year-old son, McGreggor.
“We were supposed to have more time. More conversations over a good cup of coffee. More spirited debates about matters both profound and wonderfully insignificant,” the family statement began.
“More laughter, more stories, more music and more ordinary moments that would someday become extraordinary memories.”
The family noted that Roberts’ illness “came suddenly” and that the “time that followed was heartbreakingly short.” Glioblastoma, per the Mayo Clinic, is the most common malignant brain tumor in adults and makes up roughly half of all such tumors, originating in astrocytes that support nerve cells.
Williamson took to Instagram on Thursday to address the outpouring of support. “Thank you to everyone that has reached out. We are heartbroken and taking some time,” she wrote.
The obituary painted a portrait of Roberts as a devoted family man who “cherished” the life he built with Williamson. “The person he was so proud to have beside him,” the statement called her. “He treasured their shared journey, their everyday moments, and the simple privilege of walking through the world together.”
Roberts was described as “a gifted artist with an extraordinary talent” who “saw the world a little differently.”
His pride in their son ran just as deep. “Michael wanted nothing but the best for him, and saw in the young man he was becoming, possibilities greater than he could ever have imagined for himself,” the family shared. “He was already deeply proud of the life his son was building, and eager for all that lay ahead of him.”
Roberts’ career spanned animation and directing across multiple platforms. Beyond his work on Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman,” he directed Comedy Central’s “TripTank” and served as producer on the YouTube Red series “Dallas & Robo” starring John Cena and Kat Dennings, as well as 2024’s “Hot Wheels Let’s Race.”
Rather than flowers or donations, the family directed well-wishers to honor Roberts in characteristically unconventional fashion. “Please save your money and buy a cool car,” the obituary read, noting that is what Roberts would have wanted.
Williamson’s daytime television career made her a familiar face to soap audiences. She played Jessica Buchanan on ABC’s “One Life to Live” from 2003 until the series concluded in 2012, later joining ABC’s “General Hospital” in 2016. She also appeared in a 2009 guest role on The CW’s “Gossip Girl.”
