Helen McCrory, the British actress better known for her roles in the Harry Potter films and Peaky Blinders, died on Friday, according to her husband, actor Damian Lewis. She was 52.
“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. She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you,” Lewis wrote on Twitter on Friday.
The British star joined the Harry Potter family as Narcissa Malfoy, the mother of Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and wife of Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs) in The Half-Blood Prince. She would return to the role in the two-part finale of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, paid tribute to McCrory on Twitter.
“I’m devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory, an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who’s left us far too soon. My deepest condolences to her family, especially her husband and children. Simply heartbreaking news.”
In all five season of the British drama Peaky Blinders, she played Polly Gray, Tommy Shelby’s (Cillian Murphy) aunt and the treasurer of the Peaky Blinders crime family. She also starred in the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, BBC series Doctor Who, British drama North Square, and HBO series His Dark Materials lending her voice as a daemon.
Matt Lucas, who starred in Doctor Who with McCrory also paid tribute to the star on Twitter.
“Helen McCrory will be remembered not just for her remarkable stage and screen performances, but also for her selflessness and generosity. She and Damian were the motor driving FeedNHS, working tirelessly during the pandemic to raise millions for others. What a tremendous loss.”
McCrory’s other projects include, James Bond film Skyfall, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, The Queen and The Special Relationship as Cherie Booth, the wife of U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair. In addition to her many films and television roles, McCrory started her career on stage, where she performed in over 25 production from the 1990s to the mid-2010s. Stage credits included Macbeth, Pride and Prejudice, As You Like It, Medea, and several others just to name a few.
Leave a Comment