Kindergarten Cop child actor Christian Cousins dies aged 43

Former child actor Christian Cousins, who appeared alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Kindergarten Cop, has died aged 43.

Cousins passed away on October 20, with his half-brother Jonas Roeser later revealing that the actor had been suffering from liver disease.

The news was revealed via Jonas Roeser's tribute to his late half-brother, shared on Instagram two days after his death.

"It's hard to share that my brother, Christian Cousins, has passed away," Roeser wrote.

He went on to explain that Christian had been seriously ill, adding that he found comfort in believing his brother was now 'in heaven with his mother, free from the pain he was carrying'.

Roeser also shared a more personal insight into the actor's life, making clear that his memories of Christian extended far beyond his time in front of the camera.

"He was a character, full of passion and energy, with big stories and even bigger dreams," he wrote.

The tribute ended with a heartfelt farewell, as Roeser told his brother: "You are my brother and you will be missed."

What role did Christian Cousins play in Kindergarten Cop?

Christian is perhaps best remembered for appearing in the 1990 comedy Kindergarten Cop, which starred Schwarzenegger as a police detective who goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher.

However, he wasn't the only member of his family involved in the production, as his identical twin brother Joseph Cousins also appeared in the movie.

The brothers shared the role of Dominic, with the decision to cast twins helping the production meet child labour regulations while filming.

Christian discussed the experience during a 2020 reunion organised by Yahoo, which was eventually joined by Schwarzenegger himself.

Recalling how they landed the part, he explained: "They had seen some previous work we'd done, met with Ivan Reitman and Arnold right off the bat and got it."

He added that the brothers were subsequently invited to several rounds of auditions alongside other young hopefuls, with the casting team also interested in seeing how the children interacted with one another.

Away from the big screen, Christian and Joseph also became familiar faces to television audiences through their appearances in the long-running soap opera Knots Landing.

The twins appeared in the series during the late 1980s and early 1990s, playing Bobby Gibson.

According to Roeser, who did not meet Christian and Joseph until he was in college, the pair had grown up in California while he was living in Washington.

He explained that he had actually watched his brothers on television before getting to know them personally, recalling their appearances in Knots Landing and Kindergarten Cop.

Christian and Joseph were born in Orange County, California, in March 1983 and began their acting careers as children.

Their final acting roles came in 1995, after which they stepped away from the industry.

Although Christian's acting career was relatively short, his brother's tribute made clear that those screen appearances were only one part of the person he was.

Roeser finished his message by wishing his sibling peace, writing: 'Rest easy, Christian. I hope your soul is at rest and that you've found peace.'