Acclaimed South African actress Esta TerBlanche, most known for her roles in All My Children and Egoli, was found dead in her home in North Hollywood, Los Angeles on Friday, 19 July.
While the cause of death has not yet been established, authorities believe she had been dead for about a day when police found her, reported Deadline.
TerBlanche’s death was confirmed by her publicist Lisa Rodrigo, who took to Facebook to share the news, adding that an autopsy was pending.
“I can not 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,”wrote Rodrigo.
“Esta was a beautiful soul in and out. I was proud to know her and work with her… May she RIP with the angels that she is.”
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The rise of Bienkie
Born in Rustenburg, TerBlance quickly made waves in her home country in 1991 when she took the crown as Miss Teen South Africa before making her small-screen debut as Bienkie Naude on the local soap opera Egoli: Place of Gold the following year, where her acting career began blooming.
Upon hearing the news, the much-loved South African TV show also took to social media, paying tribute to TerBlanche’s indelible mark on the hearts of Egoli fans nationwide.
“We are saddened to hear about the passing of Esta TerBlance, one of Egoli’s most talented actresses. She brought to life the iconic character of Bienkie Naude, captivating audiences with her incredible talent and charisma. Her presence on screen will be deeply missed,” wrote Egoli.
‘Our thoughts and condolences go out to her loved ones, colleagues and fans during this difficult time. Esta’s legacy will live on through her remarkable body of work, inspiring future generations of actors and actresses. Farewell Esta. Your talent, passion and dedication to your craft will never be forgotten.’
And then came Gillian
In the late 90s, TerBlanche expanded her acting horizons with a move to the US, where she scored one of her biggest roles as troublemaking Hungarian princess Gillian Andrassy in the widely-loved American drama All My Children.
“A tribute account dedicated to the soap opera expressed condolences by sharing an image of Esta alongside her TV romantic interest Cameron Mathison,” reported UK publication Mirror.
The caption read: “Rest in Peace Esta TerBlanche. Thank you for entertaining us with your beautiful and captivating performance.’ The homage concluded with heartfelt words acknowledging her memorable contribution to the show: ‘We will miss you, Princess.”
After leaving the show at her own request in 2001, TerBlanche returned to South Africa, where she opened a spa and worked on several local documentaries and TV shows.
At the time of her death, she was reportedly spending more time in the US and had recently hinted in an interview with Soap Opera Digest that re-entering the soap opera scene was ‘definitely something [she would have] liked to get back into’.
She is survived by her father and sister.
Article written by Tauhira Ajam for Cape Town ETC.
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Feature Image: X / @MichaelFairman
