Art director Matteo de Cosmo, who worked on popular shows like Luke Cage and The Punisher, has died. He was 52.
De Cosmo died after a battle with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), PEOPLE confirms.
"We were heartbroken to learn that Matteo DeCosmo, a talented art director with whom we’d worked on many productions including a recent pilot, has passed away," ABC Studios said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. "He was a true talent, incredibly creative and beloved by everyone with whom he worked."
De Cosmo's credits include a slew of notable TV shows and movies, including 21 Bridges, Precious, Choke, Madame Secretary, The Affair and, most recently, Emergence.
He had been part of the team working on the ABC pilot Harlem's Kitchen, which was forced to shut down production in March.
The drama's creator, Zahir McGhee, said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that de Cosmo will be greatly missed.
"Making television is challenging. But there are people that assure you every day with their talent, passion and smile that anything is possible. Matteo was one of those people," McGee said. "We will miss him."
"The entire Harlem’s Kitchen family extends our deepest condolences to Matteo’s wife, Aris, his son, Marcello, and the countless friends and family that mourn his passing," McGhee added.
Harlem's Kitchen line producer Gail Barringer said in a statement, "Our New York film community is small. We are shattered to learn of Matteo’s passing. He was a true, collaborative artist who brought happiness to every show he worked on."
It's unclear if de Cosmo suffered from any pre-existing medical conditions prior to contracting the virus. People ages 65 and older are at a higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus, as are people with underlying medical conditions, including heart conditions, obesity, diabetes, liver disease and chronic kidney disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All but 6 percent of patients who needed hospitalization had one pre-existing condition, and the majority — 88 percent — had two or more, according to a large study of thousands of patients in New York City that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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