WILMINGTON — “I know it’s such a cliché, but he could walk in a room and light it up,” Sallie Teal said Thursday, less than a week after her brother passed away at Duke Hospital. “But he made everything better.”
Teal was a well-known actor from Wilmington’s theater scene, as well as screen actor who had roles in shows like “One Tree Hill,” “Outer Banks,” “The Staricase” and “George and Tammy,” as well as films “Dead Water” and “Lilly” (screening at Cucalorus this Saturday at Thalian Hall main stage at 1 p.m.). He passed away Friday, Nov. 15, from stage 4 neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer.
His older sisters, Annie Mast and Sallie Teal, called the 35-year old baby of the family their “constant.”
“We made a pact long ago and said, no matter what happens in our lives, no matter who comes in and out of our lives, no matter where our lives take us, we are each other’s constant,” Annie said. “Solid, steadfast and will have each other’s back. Now, it truly feels unmatched.”
The family will have two celebrations in Paul Joseph “JoJo” Teal’s honor on Friday, Nov. 22 — one at First Baptist downtown at 2 p.m. and another thereafter at Blue Post and next door at The Ivey starting at 4 p.m.
Teal’s ties to the community run deep, something the sisters said have brought them comfort in the last week. An outpouring of commemoration has come in far and wide — not only from the local theater community who worked with Teal but also in news articles published by CNN and L.A. Times, most crediting his work on “One Tree Hill,” wherein Teal played Josh Avery.
“The people that have reached out — old friends from so many different walks of his life — to reconnect and hear the stories that they’re sharing and the memories, it’s really heart-healing, really powerful stuff,” Annie said.
She and Sallie explained that Teal’s love for performance began by the time he could walk and talk. He would often dress up like Elvis and sing “Hound Dog” — even take over stages outfitted with a band as a toddler.
“He would wear a white T-shirt that was unbuttoned and a red scarf, with his little fake guitar and jiggle his knees,” Sallie remembered.
The siblings said there are countless home videos of the three performing together.
“He was born shining and meant for the stage,” Annie said. “It’s all he ever wanted to do.”
Teal would participate in church plays and sang in the choir with Voyagers at Hoggard High School, as well as participated in school productions. At age 14, he immersed himself into the local theater community, with his first show, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” That’s where he met Tracy Byrd — another local actor from Wilmington who has gone on to perform on Broadway tours, including “Motown” and now is part of “Legends Live On.”
“We became like brothers,” Byrd said. “I got to see Paul grow as a boy from a man on the theater stage.”
The two were thick as thieves, hanging at the Teal household or going to church together. They performed in shows including “West Side Story” and “Gypsy.” Byrd said that watching Teal act was “special,” mainly because he had such raw vulnerability and knew when to lean into a role.
“When we were in ‘West Side Story,’ Paul just taught me how to listen — react to whoever is talking to you, don’t just read the lines — because some people can say the same line but mean it differently,” Byrd said.
Eventually, the two moved to New York with fellow actor Nygel Robinson and became roommates. Teal studied at the William Esper Studio to hone his craft, learning the Meisner technique — an approach for actors to create more fully fleshed characters by responding to real-life stimuli with scene partners. He also studied at the T. Schreiber Studio.
Annie and Sallie said he had always looked up to actors like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Shannon and Paul Rudd — the latter of whom he met when Teal’s parents visited him in New York and went to a Broadway production of “Grace.”
Byrd said he and Teal’s apartment was like a hangout for many North Carolina actors who lived in the Big Apple at the time. They created a family away from the familiar dwellings of Wilmington.
“It always felt like home at our place — we’d sing, cook meals together, watch movies, run lines for auditions — but New York can be a lonely place,” Byrd said.
Eventually, Byrd moved to Raleigh and Teal back to Wilmington, where he continued to pursue numerous roles in local productions and beyond.
Local thespian and theater company founder Justin Smith was one of many who directed Teal, after having met the young performer at age 18 while Teal had an ensemble role in “Reefer Madness.” He delivered only one line: “Stop, don’t move, or I’ll shoot!”
“But he did this goofy move, fumbled for his walking stick, and then kind of pulled it off funny while chasing Sam Robinson off stage,” Smith said. “I saw it probably 30 times over tech week and he made me laugh hysterically every time.”
This began an almost 20-year friendship that deepened with every performance, every conversation and interaction. Smith said their bond never faltered.
“I can’t think of a person — and I’ve had the great honor of having so many amazing friends through my life — but I can’t think of a person who I trusted more with anything and felt a loyalty to,” he said.
Much like Byrd, Smith also took away learning lessons from Teal as an actor, who he considered a “consummate pro.” He called Teal’s curiosity ever-amassing and noted in the actor a zeal to make every next moment his best.
“And he actually changed my approach to directing during ‘Memphis,’” Smith said.
Teal played Huey and during rehearsals one night, Smith said he was giving notes and receiving some pushback on the approach of the character. Up until that point, he revealed he’d normally tell an actor: “Try it my way for a minute and see if it works.”
Teal had 12 solos in the show and was dedicated to Huey but wanted to “go hardcore” bringing the difficulty out in his character. Smith said the two were going back and forth on whether Teal should tone it down. Instead of resisting, Smith let him give it a whirl.
“I just thought to myself: ‘Am I overdirecting?’” Smith said. “And I realized at that moment an actor’s instinct — the ones you trust — is so much better than a director telling the actor what to do. So I really have held back and now give so much more leeway to people who have really done work and research on the character. Paul always did.”
Smith added that no matter what was thrown Teal’s way, as far as acting, he could take on any role. That was apparent as Sweaty Eddie in “Sister Act” in 2018 — a role Smith said someone may have considered to be a miscast and that he had to beg Teal to take on.
“But he went out there and just tore it up,” Smith said.
Teal won a Wilmington Theater Award as Best Supporting Actor that year for his role.
“After that, I knew it didn’t matter what I threw at this guy, it was going to be good,” Smith said. “But the greatest part of Paul’s talent was he believed in every role he did.”
His last Wilmington stage show was as Jack Kelly in “Newsies” in 2022. That’s where sparks flew with local actress Emilia Torello. The two actually met more than a decade before, as Torello, now 24, got her start in community theater. She actually was in shows with Teal, including “Sweeney Todd” and “Sister Act.”
“I used to tease Paul all the time because he forgot,” she said.
The two connected over nerves in “Newsies” and on the first day of rehearsals, both worried over letting down the cast and crew or people who put so much faith in their talent. That turned into quippy banter and eventually a deep friendship. Teal would make nurturing gestures, like bringing her local honey to help with allergies during rehearsal or being silly and showing a softer side than the cool, charming guy she had perceived of him.
Torello said she had a boyfriend at the time but realized one day after rehearsal she should probably call it quits.
“I found myself sitting in my car after rehearsal one night like a crazy person just to wave goodbye to Paul,” she said. “That’s when I knew.”
The next day she was single, but not for long. She and Teal often ran lines together, which turned into dinner with her family, which also turned into a relationship. It was unlike that of which she had experienced yet out of college, with a natural built-in safety net.
“He told me he never felt more comfortable around anybody else, and that he’d never felt so free to just be himself and be goofy and be weird, and that it didn’t get in the way of also being romantic and fun and sexy and having a beautiful relationship,” Torello said. “We got to have everything together; we had every piece. He was the love of my life.”
Within a few months after “Newsies,” Torello already had plans to move to Atlanta to pursue her acting career further to the big screen. She had a deposit on a 500-square-foot apartment when she and Teal began dating. Both decided to take a leap of faith.
“We moved in together in a new city, away from all of our friends and family in this brand new relationship. And we knew it sounded insane,” Torello said, but also instinctively felt they were meant for each other.
They were taking acting classes at Drama Inc., booking gigs. For Teal, he landed “Lilly,” a movie starring Patricia Clarkson about the woman who inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. When Torello booked her first gig for a Georgia lottery commercial, she came home to find Teal with a card, mini Champagne bottle and flowers.
She said his thoughtfulness was one of his greatest attributes. He would find creative ways to have date nights at home if money was tight or always lend a listening ear, no matter the circumstance, and he always made her laugh.
“I got him at his best,” Torello said. “He was sober for a few years, doing work on himself, and really dedicated to improving his life and being his best person.”
The two moved back to North Carolina to be closer to family when Teal was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early spring 2024. According to his siblings, he felt something was off for months, due to abominable pain. It seemed odd to them because Teal was in good health and worked out six days a week, but he met with gastroenterologists and EMTs to address symptoms.
“He had a six pack and ran every day,” Annie said. “Doctors kept telling him it was IBS, ‘because you take protein and you’re on a crazy diet, but you’re fine.’ So they’d give him a prescription.”
Pancreatic cancer is normally stage one, two or three when it is in the pancreas but once it metastasizes to another organ, it becomes stage four. By the time Teal found out about his diagnosis, the cancer had spread to his liver. The siblings said he had a CT scan eight months before without any detection, so the cancer came on fast.
“But JoJo was very adamant he was not interested in knowing the stage,” Annie said. “He was not interested in knowing the prognosis or timeline. He only wanted to focus on beating cancer and didn’t want to invite worry or negativity into his brain and heart space … he was incredibly self-disciplined and determined and always focused on the future.”
Teal endured chemotherapy immediately and amid his first treatments also began production in one of the main roles on “The Hunting Wives,” a Starz series debuting next spring. His siblings said he called it “one of the biggest recurring roles” in his life, one that could open doors. But he worried the production team would recant it, if they found out he had cancer.
Instead, the opposite happened. The production team reassured Teal he was meant for the role and began researching various chemical-free makeups, ways to cover his port, and wigs they would need should chemotherapy cause hair loss.
“He would text us how he was learning so many new things about the film world and living out his dreams,” Annie said.
On the last day of shooting, the director called cut: “And that’s a season wrap for Paul Teal.” The cast and crew gave him a standing ovation, Annie recalled her brother telling her.
“He was moved to tears and couldn’t believe it,” she said.
“It was just so heart-wrenching,” Sallie added. “I mean he was so happy, finally living this life that he’s always imagined while fighting this disease.”
Torello said, in addition to chasing their acting dreams, the two had begun discussing marriage and a family. By fall, Teal was having mobility issues but told her once he was back on his feet he would propose so he could properly get down on one knee.
“He was an inspiration of courage,” Torello said, having fought alongside him throughout his treatments.
Annie and Sallie believe Teal’s focus on the future and positive outlook and support contributed to the eight months they had with him from diagnosis to death. His mindset was unmatchable, amid treatments and hospital stays.
“He rode hope all the way and at the end, he wasn’t ready to give up,” Sallie said, adding Teal told everyone even if there was only a 0.001% chance of survival, he would commit to beating the odds.
“And not even 10 minutes before his passing, the doctor had Emilia, my mother, my father, my sister, and myself in the hallway, and he said: ‘I’m sorry, there’s point zero chance now — we don’t have our .0001%,” Sallie recalled. “Not even 5 minutes later, JoJo went with the angels. I’ve never seen or experienced anything like that, but he held on until he knew.”
The family said his presence will be strong at First Baptist Church, 411 Market St., during Teal’s celebration of life Friday at 2 p.m. They’re playing one of Teal’s songs from “The Notebook: The Musical,” “Sunday Train.” It was written by Bethany Joy Lenz, who Teal starred with in “One Tree Hill,” and Teal said it was his favorite song to sing.
“So he will be there with us,” Annie said. “His voice just fills you up. I get chills every time I hear it.”
Also performing is Wilmington actor Kawon Porter singing “Amazing Grace,” with a message delivered by the First Baptist pastor and youth pastor, the latter of whom baptized Teal.
Smith is delivering a eulogy. He said he spent the last couple of days with Teal while at Duke and revealed though acting was always his passion, Teal told him he had come to an even greater purpose in his life.
“Unconditional love,” he said.
It’s something he also told Torello.
“He said: ‘Every day I wake up next to you, you inspire me to fight and to keep going. And I thought that acting was my purpose, but then I met you, and acting just became a fun way to earn money so we could have a life together,’” she said.
Their connection is captured in time as Torello had begun making vlogs when the two moved to Atlanta together in 2022. It’s something she and her friends did in college to collect memories of fun times and at the end of the school year would edit them together to watch.
With Teal, she recorded moments of them carving pumpkins when they first moved to Atlanta, celebrated his 34th birthday and visited Six Flags.
“We did it for small and momentous occasions,” she said through tears, adding their favorite show was “The Office,” so oftentimes they’d take on mannerisms of the most beloved characters. “I feel like I’m with him, right beside me, when I’m watching. It brings me so much joy.”The vlogs will screen at Blue Post as part of Teal’s second celebration Friday, which starts at 4 p.m. Torello said she wanted a party to commemorate him as “the coolest guy we’ve ever known.” There will be a slide show, featuring pictures that people everywhere have uploaded of him, along with music by Brian Whitted.
The party will include another of Teal’s favorite past-times: karaoke. People can sign up to sing or speak about their own memories of the actor.
Byrd said he has a lot of memories of Teal loving to sing R&B, like Justin Timberlake and Usher.
“So many people are so afraid to be themselves in life,” he said. “Paul was not. You got that one friend that you can send something deep or something funny to, and they’ll just always get it. That was Paul. I don’t even know if I have that person now. I trusted him as a friend and a brother.”
Teal’s family is already considering launching an acting scholarship program in his honor. For now they ask, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in Paul’s memory to the Opera House Theatre Company (www.operahousetheatrecompany.org) or the Thalian Association (www.thalianhall.org).
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