South African actress Crystal-Donna Roberts has sadly passed away at the age of 41 following a battle with cancer.
Roberts passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday morning. Her husband, Schalk Cornelessen, whom she married in October 2015, shared the news on Facebook, writing, “Rest in peace my beautiful beautiful loving wife.”
Widely recognised for portraying Janice Mortlock in kykNET’s Arendsvlei (DStv 144), Roberts has a number of Saftas under her belt including the Golden Horn Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film and for Best Actress in a Telenovela, reports IOL.
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Her television work spanned multiple productions in film and TV in South Africa, including 7de Laan, Chronicle, The Endless River, and Die Ongelooflike Avonture van Hanna Hoekom.
Roberts was also a published author of a children’s book, Speuder Sammi.
Sources report that the actress first revealed her breast cancer diagnosis in 2019, sharing that she had discovered a lump in March 2018. Following her diagnosis, she underwent a double mastectomy and made the decision to quit smoking. Despite treatment, the cancer later spread to her glands, leading to chemotherapy.
Born and raised in Cape Town, Roberts pursued a BA in Drama and Theatre at the University of the Free State. She later returned to her hometown, where she worked as a drama teacher before launching her acting career.
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Feature Image: Facebook / Janice Mahoney
