‘All My Children’ Star Esta TerBlanche Dead Aged 51 – Weeks After Teasing Huge TV Comeback
Soap opera star Esta TerBlanche has passed away from natural causes just weeks after teasing a TV comeback.
July 22 2024, Published 8:30 a.m. ET
Beloved soap opera star Esta TerBlanche has passed away from natural causes just weeks after teasing a huge TV comeback. She was 51.
RadarOnline.com can reveal TerBlanche, who played Hungarian princess Gillian Andrassy Lavery on the popular daytime drama All My Children from 1997 to 2001, died unexpectedly at her home in Los Angeles on Thursday. Her publicist, Lisa Rodrigo, confirmed the news in a touching social media post over the weekend.
Rodrigo took to Facebook on Saturday, writing: “I cannot believe I am posting this. It’s with a heavy heart that my friend and client Esta TerBlanche passed away Thursday of natural causes. An autopsy report is pending.
“I am still processing and in shock. Esta was a beautiful soul in and out. I was proud to know her and work with her. More to come in the days ahead.
“May she RIP with the angels that she is.”
Born in Rustenberg, South Africa on January 7, 1973, TerBlanche began her career on the small screen at 16. She hosted a children’s TV show, as well as a math show called Math No Problem.
TerBlanche starred alongside Cameron Mathison’s character Ryan Lavery on "All My Children" from 1997 to 2001.
In 1991, at 18 years old, TerBlanche was crowned Miss Teen South Africa. The brunette beauty was then cast as Beatrice “Bienkie” Naudé Hartman on the first South African soap opera, Egoli: Place of Gold, in 1992.
TerBlanche spoke highly of her four-year stint on Egoli: Place of Gold during an interview held shortly before her sudden passing last week.
She told Soaps in Depth in 2022: “People were so kind to me.
“It was my first time working in the industry with all these professional people. Everybody was really nice to me.”
Mathison paid TerBlanche a touching tribute on Instagram after her death at 51.
After leaving Egoli: Place of Gold in 1995 after four seasons, the soap opera starlet was cast as the Hungarian princess Gillian Andrassy Lavery on All My Children in 1997.
Her storyline with fellow soap star Cameron Mathison’s character, Ryan Lavery, became one of the show’s most popular threads – although TerBlanche’s dramatic plot as the Hungarian princess ended when she was removed from life support following an assassination attempt.
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The South African actress later returned to All My Children in 2011 as Gillian Andrassy Lavery’s ghost.
She told Soaps in Depth two years ago: “When I came back, it was really emotional for me and Cameron. When we saw each other, we both started bawling.
TerBlanche teased a return to the small screen shortly before her unexpected passing.
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“Back then, we hadn’t seen each other for years, so it was such a touching moment for us.”
Mathison, 54, took to Instagram on Sunday to pay tribute to his late co-star. He wrote: “RIP my sweet princess.”
TerBlanche was married to André Kock from 1997 until their divorce in 2008. She also teased a possible return to TV during her interview with Soaps in Depth in 2022.
The late soap opera star told the outlet two years before her passing: “It’s definitely something I would like to get back into.”
R.I.P. Esta TerBlanche.
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