Thank you. She played the matriarch of a crime family on Peaky Blinders and the scheming Voldemort ally Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. "I'm heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family," Lewis tweeted on Friday.. My love and thoughts are with Damian and her family. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you.". The star, According to reports, Helen died peacefully in her home after a battle with cancer, which she kept extremely private. McCrory was nominated for two of London's Olivier Awards for playing Rosalind in As You Like It in 2006, and for The Last of the Haussmans in 2013. Peaky Blinders cast: Who plays Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders? The Cause of Helen McCrorys Death. winter storm, Southern Ontario digs out of snowstorm, snowfall warnings still in effect for parts of Eastern Canada, 'I had to get over here and help': 3 incredible acts of compassion by Canadians in Ukraine, How a small town Canadian grandmother ended up in a Hong Kong prison, Why some Canadian teachers and professors are inviting ChatGPT into the classroom, Unusual weather phenomenon observed during Ontario snowstorm explained, Woman missing more than 30 years and thought to be dead found living in Puerto Rico nursing home, 'I don't not love Winnipeg' Michael B. Jordan tells Kimmel, Cleaning expert shows the best way to load your dishwasher, Why Harry and Meghan were asked to leave their U.K. home. What a women, what an actor. Most recently, she appeared on screen in the BBC series Roadkill with Hugh Laurie. McCrory and Lewis, star of the TV series "Homeland" and "Billions," married in 2007 and had two children. She was so powerful and controlled and this is so sad. "I still can't believe she's not here," he explained. McCrory "died peacefully at home surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family", Lewis wrote on Twitter, calling his late wife "beautiful and mighty." "We love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Which, of course, she did with utter brilliance., Lewis recalled that the actor Lauren Bacall had mistakenly praised her for performing Sonya, played by Emily Watson, after a show of the production in New York. The Homeland star posted: Im heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. pic.twitter.com/NRlo3KPKWb, Helen McCrory no no no. Having said that, there are a lot of things I turn down, she told The Associated Press in 2016, describing the sort of roles where all your lines are But what did you do at work? Thats so clever, darling. How did you do that? And then what did you do? Damian Lewis, her At the same theatre, she excelled as a woman caught between a dull husband and a feckless lover in Terence Rattigan's "The Deep Blue Sea" in 2016. Social media first learned of Helens death after her husband, Damian Lewis, posted a message on social media that read, Im heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. McCrory, who was also known for her roles in the films The Queen, The Special Relationship and the Harry Potter franchise, died of cancer on Friday at the age Originally from Paddington, London, England, she attended the Drama Centre in London, studying acting. Helen'shusband, Damian Lewis, recentlyhonored her during a poetry reading at theA Poet for Every Day of the Year. Actor Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair in The Queen, said McCrory was so funny, so passionate, so smart and one of the greatest actors of our time., Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling tweeted that she was devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory, an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman whos left us far too soon.. In addition to her starring role in six seasons of Peaky Blinders, McCrory's filmography included high-profile projects such as her most recent: voicingStelmaria, Lord Asriel's (James McAvoy) snow leopard daemon, onHBO's His Dark Materials. But she was magnificent. Actor Helen McCrory, who was fiercely proud of being an artist, according to her husband Damian Lewis. pic.twitter.com/wXexuxFNyG, Utterly heart breaking, what a loss. The news of her passing came earlier today in an emotional tribute. "So funny, so passionate, so smart and one of the greatest actors of our time," he tweeted. Im devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory, an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman whos left us far too soon. pic.twitter.com/Eo2dmviKik, Oh Damian, Im so sorry. This has never happened to me before or since She was clearly already halfway to giving a superb performance, I simply had to get out of the way and let her complete the job. She died on 16 April 2021, at her home in London. Such a wonderfully talented woman. Left: As well as fearless Polly Gray in BAFTA-winning Peaky Blinders, she was in 2007 Best Film BAFTA winner The Queen, amongst many other films and TV shows., So desperately sad. Stars have paid tribute to Peaky Blinders and Harry Potter actress Helen McCrory who has died of cancer aged 52. It was a pleasure to work with you. ", And while losing a loved one is never easy, "The difficult thing to comprehend is that, if it wasn't for COVID, there would be a whole other version of this show with Helen in it," he said. She elevated and made humane every scene, every character she played, Murphy said. Helen McCrory, known to audiences as Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films and as Polly Gray inPeaky Blinders, has died of cancer at the age of 52. However, she has also had major roles in several films and television shows since she began acting in 1990. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Ms Cracknell said working with McCrory was "one of the highlights of my professional life". What a tremendous loss.. The Devastating Death Of Harry Potter And Peaky Blinders Star Helen McCrory. She also will be remembered by many as Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter films. "But she was so private and so f--king brave and courageous. She was 52 and had been suffering from cancer. Really lovely company. pic.twitter.com/1CzeIIYfzE, So desperately sad. "It doesn't make sense. Forever my Narcissa Malfoy. Onstage, McCrorys roles included the vengeful Greek heroine Medea at the National Theatre in 2014. Dead at 52. She was so so brilliant when she came to work on Bill. She left the room with the part. ", Actor Michael Sheen, who played Tony Blair in "The Queen," said McCrory was "so funny, so passionate, so smart and one of the greatest actors of our time. Netflix, under a deal with the Weinstein Co. and Endemol, has acquired the rights to the first two seasons of gritty British gangster drama Peaky Blinders., Cillian Murphy, who plays the central role of gangland boss Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders, set in the early 20th century English underworld, said he was broken-hearted to lose such a dear friend.. By order of the Peaky Blinders. Subscribe to Here's the Deal, our politics newsletter. She also worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Almeida and the Donmar Warehouse, and earned rave reviews for her role in Uncle Vanya in London and New York in 2002 and 2003. Rest in peace., Lawrence Fox penned: How utterly heartbreaking. One of her most acclaimed performances was as Cherie Blair in The Queen and The Special Relationship. She blazed so brightly. She told me she should be playing Yelena the other young female role and then proceeded to spend the next hour telling me exactly why. While Helen Reddys family did the best they could to stay in touch with her, the pandemic still took its toll on the singer. Heartbreaking.. Lewis said that in the weeks before her death his wife had talked about his future relationships with women, saying that love isnt possessive. My heart goes out to Damian and the family, no words of condolences will ever be enough https://t.co/ik0Xsiacvw, We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our beloved Helen McCrory, who played Narcissa Malfoy with such depth and brilliance in the Harry Potter film series. But I think you approach it in different ways, and my approach is just to forge forward.. Helen McCrory died. Simply heartbreaking news.. Michael Sheen said: So funny, so passionate, so smart and one of the greatest actors of our time. Image Source: Whatsonstage. "It was a privilege to have worked with this brilliant woman, to have shared so many laughs over the years. 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April 16, 2021 Updated 3:20 PM PT. She was so so brilliant when she came to work on Bill. Having said that, there are a lot of things I turn down, she told the Associated Press in 2016, describing the sort of roles where all your lines are But what did you do at work? Thats so clever, darling. How did you do that? And then what did you do?, Of course, theres so much sexism within the profession, McCrory said. Blessings to Damian and the family. According toEntertainment Weekly,McCrory was meant to star as Bellatrix LeStrange beginning with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but when she bowed out, Helena Bonham Carter stepped in. Actor Michael Sheen, who worked with McCrory on the 2006 film The Queen and more recently in ITV drama Quiz, described her death as "heartbreaking" and said it had been "an honour to work with her and know her" in a post on social media. 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Onstage, McCrorys roles included the vengeful Greek heroine Medea at the National Theatre in 2014. One of her most visible roles was asDraco Malfoy's motherNarcissa in the Harry Potter series, and she was originally slated to play an even bigger part in the franchise until she fell pregnant. Roadkill on BBC: Show writer addressescomparisons to Thatcher. 1 on iTunes Charts, 36 songs, no apologies: Morgan Wallen delivers more (much more) of what made him countrys king, Joy Behar kicks off Joys Banned Book Club with gay-penguin tale And Tango Makes Three, Paramount to pay $122.5 million to settle lawsuit over CBS deal, Jussie Smollett finally appeals his conviction stemming from 2019 hate-crime hoax. Posting on Twitter, Richard Coles wrote: Very sorry to hear of the death of Helen McCrory, such a brilliant actor; heartfelt condolences to Damian Lewis, their children, and all who loved her. Actor Ben Willbond added: Heartbroken at the news that Helen McCrory has died. Actor Ben Willbond added: Heartbroken at the news that Helen McCrory has died. Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight said: "Helen was one of the great actors of her generation. Helen was a beautiful supportive person to those of us who had the honour to know or work with her. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you.". Phyllis Scarso Apr 5, 1931 - Oct 29, 2021 Independence, Ohio | Age 90. Now, co-star Cillian Murphyis sharing how her deathwas a devastating blow to the cast. She swore her friends to secrecy about the disease as she underwent treatment, according to Carrie Cracknell, who directed McCrory in a 2014 production of Medea. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. Fearlessly. McCrory's ", "She died as she lived. Forever my Narcissa Malfoy. She elevated and made humane every scene, every character she played., He added, "It was a privilege to have worked with this brilliant woman, to have shared so many laughs over the years., Along with a few of Helens other co-stars, Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling also said her final goodbye to Helen on social media. The actress, Helen McCrory will be remembered not just for her remarkable stage and screen performances, but also for her selflessness and generosity, comedian Matt Lucas tweeted. The "But I think you approach it in different ways, and my approach is just to forge forward.". Helen McCrory: engaging, enthralling, always magnetically watchable, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Announcing the death on Twitter, husband Damian Lewis stated that she Helen McCrory starred as Aunt Polly in all five series of Peaky Blinders. The actor, who died at age 52, had kept her cancer private and told her children shed lived the life she wanted. Im heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family, he wrote. But I think you approach it in different ways, and my approach is just to forge forward.. The actress, who appeared in Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders, died aged 52 with husband Damian Lewis confirming the news. Noel Clarke offered: RIP #HelenMcCrory you were the best and always lovely to me. He noted that the grief for McCrory had not been eclipsed by the funeral of Prince Philip. READ MORE:Helen McCrory dead: Peaky Blinders dies after cancer battle aged 52. "She had this extraordinary, fierce depth of character and complexity and ability to articulate so many parts of the human condition.". Cause of Death. The actress stepped back from the role before filming began in January 2021because of a private battle with breast cancer.