Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
ABC Soap Opera Star Esta TerBlanche Dies Unexpectedly at 51
Esta TerBlanche, renowned for her role as Gillian Andrassy on All My Children, has passed away. According to TV Insider, the cause of her death is currently under investigation. Her body was found at her North Hollywood home, and she was 51 years old.
The tragic news was confirmed by the actress’ representative, who spoke with TMZ, revealing that TerBlanche had been deceased for at least a day before her body was discovered. In addition, her goddaughter, Barbie Ashley, mentioned that TerBlanche died suddenly on July 18.
TerBlanche’s career in the entertainment industry began after she was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991. She took on the role of Gillian, a dramatic Hungarian princess, on All My Children in 1997. She remained with the series until 2001, then left to return to South Africa. However, she made a memorable return in 2011, reprising her role in a ghostly form for the series finale.
In an interview with Soap Opera Digest earlier this month, TerBlanche reminisced about her time on the show, expressing her gratitude. “The people I worked with were all so wonderful,” she shared. “It was such a privilege to be on the show. [Cameron Mathison] was just phenomenal, and I feel so blessed that I was able to work with him. He really made every day just wonderful. It was just magical. I could not have been luckier.”
She also recounted her emotional return to the series, saying, “When I came back, it was really emotional for me and Cameron. When we saw each other, we both started bawling. Back then, we hadn’t seen each other for years, so it was such a touching moment for us.”
After leaving All My Children, TerBlanche embarked on various ventures. She opened a spa, worked on documentary projects, became a TV host, and devoted time to the Create Your Breakthrough cancer foundation. In her final interview, she expressed her desire to return to soap operas and acting, noting, “It’s definitely something I would like to get back into.”
Source: TV Insider, TMZ, Soap Opera Digest
