Prior to his passing, Charlie Murphy kept his battle with leukemia private, so much so that his peers on the set of Power had no idea he was ill.

According to TMZ, Murphy's death came as a shock to those involved in the show as production sources revealed that they had no idea he was sick as he never spoke of it on set. They went on to add that he remained the consummate professional he was known to be while performing his role as prison guard Marshal Williams on the popular Starz drama.

Murphy reportedly only disclosed his battle with cancer to his closest friends and family members as he "didn't want his illness to define him."

Reportedly, even members of his family who were aware of his sickness were shocked to learn of his death as they did not know how dire the situation was.

"Starz sends our deepest condolences to Charlie's family and friends," a rep for the network said in a statement. "He joined Power for our upcoming season, and his talent shines in every scene. We were fortunate to have worked with him."

Get the details on Charlie's untimely passing in the BET Breaks video, above.