Darius Campbell Danesh was close friends with fellow Scots actor Gerard Butler before his untimely death aged 41.
The Scottish singer and theatre star tragically died aged 41 last week after being found dead at his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota. In the lead up to his death, Darius was seen enjoying dog walks with the P.S I Love You actor in Malibu close to Gerard's home, writes the Mirror.
The pair were reportedly introduced by Rod Stewart and bonded over their Scottish heritage. Both Gerard and Darius lived in the States, so the two became fast friends due to their similar backgrounds. Gerard is a proud Scotsman who was born in Paisley, while Darius had always remained true to his Glaswegian upbringing.
Over the years, the two have made the effort to see each other regularly – despite living in completely different states at times. While based on the east coast, Darius would make the five-hour flight from Minnesota to Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, Gerard, 58, was said to have visited Darius at his apartment block in Minnesota "a few times", with a source telling The Sun: "I saw Gerard around a few times – I think he was supporting his friend."
It comes shortly after the actor broke his silence following the shock death of his pal. Alongside a snap of the pair smiling on Instagram, Gerard penned: "I am devastated by the sudden passing of my dear friend Darius, a true brother in arms. My thoughts and love go to his wonderful mum and dad Avril and Booth and his two brilliant brothers Aria and Cyrus."
Gerard continued to praise the singer with his heartfelt words and said that anyone who knew him was "moved by his infectious laugh and barely containable zest for life".
The Greenland actor added: "He was always armed with a smile, a booming voice, and a genuinely warm embrace that few could resist-nor would they want to!!! He was an incredible talent, a singer whose voice touched your soul and an actor with great presence.
"But, most importantly, he had the heart of a lion. It was bigger and brighter than the sun and an energy so contagious he could light up a room in seconds."
He went on to touch upon the singer-turned-actor's dream to inspire others, saying he had "such purity of thought" before praising him for his compassion towards all.
He also labelled him the "perfect friend" as he led by example and helped to push others to greatness.
The emotional post concluded by the Scottish actor saying: "My heart aches heavily. But going forward, I will beat my drum louder and celebrate life and its every beautiful moment because my brother showed me that was a pretty awesome way to go about it."
The powerful words are the latest in a long line of tributes from Darius's friends, family and former work colleagues after he was found unresponsive in an apartment Minnesota on August 11.
It's reported Darius used his friend Gerard's girlfriend's name to book into the hotel room where he tragically died, according to Mail Online. Using false names is common for celebrities to not attract unwanted attention, with Darius appearing to use Morgan's moniker to conceal his identity.
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