Channing Tatum's best friend has died.

Corey Vaughn and Channing Tatum [Instagram]

Corey Vaughn and Channing Tatum [Instagram]

The 38-year-old actor shared a tribute to his "first best friend" Corey Vaughn, who passed away earlier this week, and he urged people to keep in touch with their loved ones as "you never know what's next".

Channing shared a picture of them both as children on Twitter and wrote: "My very first best friend Corey Vaughn left the world for the next this Tuesday the 21st. Man, there's so much to say. I'll never forget his crazy ass and how he stuck up for and protected me when I first moved to Mississippi. He'd a fought anybody."

"All the laughs and trouble we got in. I'll never be able to see that smile of his again in this life. It just made me need to remind everybody don't put off anything. Seeing a friend, or even calling or texting. You never know what's next.

"Corey would have wanted us to laugh and raise hell in his wake and have as much joy as anyone can make. He sure did. I'll forever miss ya man. Love ya my brother (sic)."

Channing posted the picture and his tribute letter with the additional words: "Rip Corey I'll never forget your crazy ass. I love you with all my heart. All my prayers to your beautiful family (sic)."

Channing and his family moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, where he met Corey, when he was just six years old.

The star has previously spoken about his peripatetic childhood, explaining: "All my family's in Wetumpka, Alabama, on my mom's side. Some people in Birmingham. We moved from Cullman pretty early.

"We moved to Mississippi for a little while, Pascagoula, Gautier, and then Florida. All around the South. Anywhere where they say y'all. That's where I call home."

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