Jonathan Brandis, who gained popularity as the young adult star of "seaQuest DSV" and "Ladybugs," died last week at the age of 27.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's office confirms to Zap2it.com that Jonathan Gregory Brandis died on Wednesday, Nov. 12. It was reported as a possible suicide and while an autopsy has been completed, official information has been deferred pending results of tests ordered at the time of examination.

Brandis was born in Danbury, Connecticut in 1976. He made appearances on "L.A. Law," "Full House" and "Who's the Boss" before getting his big breaks with "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter" and the telefilm "Stephen King's It."

"He was the kind of actor that I love to work with, a smart actor," recalls "seaQuest" creator Rockne S. O'Bannon. "He was someone you could talk to. I remember sitting with him and examining scenes. He understood the scenes from a structural point of view. He wasn't coming at it just from an actor's point of view, just a really bright guy."

As Lucas Wolenczek on "seaQuest," Brandis developed a large fan base and was a prominent figure in teen magazines. That acclaim has spread onto the Internet, where word of the actor's death has prompted a torrent of tributes from fans, even as the mainstream media has failed to cover it. The Coroner's office has faced extensive public interest in the case.

"I'm shocked," O'Bannon adds. "It's a shame."

One of the actor's last projects was the independent film "The Year that Trembled," co-starring Fred Willard, Martin Mull and Henry Gibson. The film's producers, Novel City Pictures, issued a statement regarding Brandis' death.

"We recently learned of the untimely death of Jonathan Brandis," the statement reads. "We at Novel City Pictures are deeply saddened and stunned by this, and like many people, we grieve for his loss. Jonathan was a great actor, and our friend. We send our deepest sympathies to his family, his friends, and his fans. We all miss him very much."

Other recent credits for Brandis included "Ride with the Devil" and "Hart's War."

Additional reporting by Kate O'Hare.