Colin Egglesfield, beloved for his role on All My Children, has recently opened up about his deeply personal and courageous battle with cancer—not once, but three separate times.
At 52, the actor shared that he initially kept his first diagnosis private, until the emotional toll became too heavy to bear. That breakdown, he said, became a powerful lesson in vulnerability, strength, and the importance of leaning on others.
Back in 2006, just six months after landing the role of Josh Madden, Egglesfield was filming a scene on All My Children when he reached his emotional limit. He had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of testicular cancer and underwent surgery just two days later. Despite receiving radiation treatments daily after long filming sessions, he kept it all to himself—never telling anyone on set.
“I leaned into my acting training. I tried to be bold, to be brave. I became Maximus from Gladiator,” he shared on the March 20 episode of Let’s Be Clear, a podcast founded by the late Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty.
In that moment of raw honesty, the Something Borrowed star explained how quickly things escalated after his diagnosis. Even as he kept up a strong front, the emotional pressure built up behind the scenes.
‘I broke down’
The turning point came when his filming schedule changed, forcing him to shift his radiation treatments to the morning.
“I went to radiation in the morning, then straight to work,” he said.
One day on set, everything hit him at once. “I was tired, sluggish, sweaty, and I tried to push through the scenes. But the director looked at me and said, ‘Colin, are you alright? You don’t look well.’ That’s when I finally broke down. I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.”
For three months, Egglesfield kept his treatment under wraps, worried about how it might affect his job and relationships.
“I didn’t tell anyone. It was testicular cancer—guy stuff. But I eventually realized I couldn’t keep going it alone,” he admitted.
Once he finally opened up to the cast and crew, the support came flooding in. “People offered to take me to appointments, brought me food—just showed up for me. And it made such a difference.”
The battle continued
Unfortunately, the journey didn’t end there. The following year, he discovered the cancer had spread to his other testicle. Most recently, Egglesfield revealed he was diagnosed a third time—this time with prostate cancer.
In a heartfelt Facebook post shared on January 20, 2025, alongside photos from the hospital, he expressed his decision to embrace “resilience, faith, courage, grace, and inspiration.”
“The start of this year hasn’t been easy, but it’s given me another chance to decide who I want to be in the face of hardship,” he wrote. He added that he made the proactive decision to undergo surgery.
‘Still a scary experience’
In an update on February 24, he proudly shared that he is “cancer free for the third time.”
“I still have to remind myself that it’s okay to feel scared, to feel anxious. And that there’s strength in asking for help,” he wrote.
Speaking on the podcast, Egglesfield admitted that hearing “you have cancer” a third time is just as frightening as the first.
“But this time, I’m more open. I can actually talk about what I’m feeling and what I need. And that has made all the difference.”
He continued, “This journey has been powerful because I’ve seen how much people are willing to show up when you let them in. Wherever you are in life, whatever you’re going through—I urge you to honor yourself. Remember who you are. And don’t be afraid to reach out.”
Echoing his earlier message, Egglesfield emphasized, “Asking for support isn’t weakness. It’s a real act of courage.”
Colin Egglesfield’s story is one of grit, grace, and the healing power of connection. His openness not only inspires—it reminds us that being strong sometimes means letting others in.
Let us know what you think of Colin’s journey—and be sure to share this powerful story with someone who might need to hear it.