Who was Tristan Rogers married to? Family life explored as General Hospital star passes away at 79 

Veteran actor Tristan Rogers, who rose to fame for playing Robert Scorpio on the long-running series General Hospital, died on August 15, 2025. The 79-year-old Australian actor was reportedly battling lung cancer in the weeks leading up to his death.

The actor is survived by his wife Teresa Parkerson. The couple had been married for three decades, tying the knot in 1995.

He first appeared on General Hospital in 1980 for a brief role and later became a regular cast member on the show till 1992, reprising his role on and off in the following years. Rogers' last appearance was in July 2025, and his publicist announced his cancer diagnosis the same day his final episode aired.

Frank Valentini

@valentinifrank

The entire @GeneralHospital family is heartbroken to hear of Tristan Rogers' passing. Tristan has captivated our fans for more than 50 years and Port Charles will not be the same without him (or Robert Scorpio). (1/2) #GH

Tristan Rogers' manager, Meryl Soodak, confirmed his death in a statement to ABC7 on August 15, and mentioned that despite his lung cancer diagnosis, the actor was never a smoker. Furthermore, the manager said General Hospital "meant everything to him," adding:

“He loved being Scorpio, and he created that role from nothing. He was supposed to work a day, and he ended up making it into something huge. He was just a genuinely loyal, kind human being, and he loved his family.”

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Exploring Tristan Rogers' family and personal life

Actor Tristan Rogers attended the screening of "The Bay" at Garry Marshall Theatre. (Image via Getty)

Tristan Rogers met his wife, Teresa Parkerson, in 1991. According to his biography on IMDb, Rogers and Parkerson tied the knot on May 21, 1995, and share two children. They welcomed their daughter, Sara Jane, in August 1992. Meanwhile, their son Cale was born in August 1996 and is currently married to Cassandra. Not much personal information is known about his wife or children.

Rogers was previously married to actress Barbara Meale from 1974 to 1984, per People magazine. Following their divorce, Rogers was in a relationship with General Hospital co-star Emma Samms, with whom he also shared an on-screen relationship. However, they reportedly broke up in 1985 after Samms left the show.

Following Rogers' death, Emma Samms took to X to pen a tribute for her late co-star, writing:

“I’m incredibly sad to hear the news about Tristan. I loved working with him, and we were both so grateful that we got the chance to do that for more than 40 years. He taught me how to be comfortable in front of the cameras, and he introduced me to spontaneity and fun, even within all the trials and tribulations that Robert and Holly endured. My condolences to his wife and family.”

Emma pays tribute to Tristan (Image via X/@EmmaSamms1)

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Exploring Tristan Rogers' work in General Hospital

Tristan Rogers was cast in General Hospital (GH) in 1980, the same year he moved from Australia to Los Angeles. His character, Robert Scorpio, initially had a minor role in an episode and was solely brought in to beat up the protagonist, Luke. However, the show creators reportedly liked his performance and asked him to stay on, fleshing out Scorpio's role for the actor.

According to People magazine, Scorpio, a spy from CK8, soon became a fan favorite and remained a fixture in the show till he was killed off in 1992, with Tristan Rogers bidding farewell to GH. However, Scorpio was brought back to life in 2006, and Rogers reprised his role as a recurring character.

Tristan Rogers also appeared in the GH spin-off General Hospital: Night Shift in 2008, where his character was revealed to have colon cancer. Speaking about this character arc in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in October 2008, Rogers said:

“This [storyline] was about the deconstruction of an iconic character done in a way it hadn’t been done before. Characters like mine don’t get colon cancer. They get shot, they get beaten up, they get hit by trains. They don’t get colon cancer. It’s not very glamorous."

He continued:

"I thought it was a hell of a challenge, more than the usual fare that you’re given going into this: Go through the investigation, find the bad guys, have a gunfight, get a schmooze….This was a whole different animal."

Actor Tristan Rogers at the screening of "The Bay" season 4 on December 19, 2018. (Image via Getty)

Tristan Rogers' final appearance in General Hospital was in an episode in July 2025, where he bid farewell to his onscreen daughter, Sasha Gilmore (played by Sofia Mattsson). As mentioned earlier, his publicist announced his cancer diagnosis the day the episode aired, saying:

“While he remains hopeful and is working closely with his medical team on a treatment plan, this is a challenging time for Tristan and his family. As they face both the emotional and physical burdens that come with this diagnosis, the family kindly asks for privacy and understanding.”

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In addition to his long-standing role in the ABC daily soap, Tristan Rogers had also worked in series such as The Young and the Restless, Babylon 5, and Fast Track. He had also worked as a voiceover artist in The Rescuers Down Under, Batman Beyond, and The Wild Thornberrys. His accolades include a Daytime Emmy for his performance in Amazon Prime Video's Studio City.