Actress Natalie Desselle Reid Passes At The Age of 53
Credit: John Shearer/WireImage
After a private battle with colon cancer, actress Natalie Desselle Reid, known for her roles in “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” “B.A.P.S,” and the TV series “Eve,” died at 53 on December 7th.
A statement was posted on her Instagram regarding Desselle Reid’s death.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beautiful Natalie this morning from colon cancer,” the post read. “She was a bright light in this world. A queen. An extraordinary mother and wife. Her diverse career touched so many and she will be loved forever. Naturally, we are grieving and processing this profound loss and we thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
A family member told TMZ that the actress was diagnosed earlier this year and that her final days were spent in hospice care. Dolores Robinson who was Desselle Reid’s manager later confirmed the news on Twitter.
“Natalie was a bright light,” Robinson wrote. “She was an amazing actress and comedienne but also an awesome mother & wife.”
Desselle Reid’s Hollywood debut started when she was featured in a one-episode role in “Family Matters” in 1996. She would later find herself starring next to Halle Berry as Mickey in the 1997 movie B.A.P.S, which was one of her most known roles in her film career. She also featured in “For Your Love,” “Built to Last,” and her last acting credit for “Ya Killin’ Me.” Desselle Reid would later work as a producer for a short called “Barrier,” which follows a North Korean immigrant living in the U.S. who wants to get her children out of North Korea.
Celebrities and fans of the actress sent their condolences on social media including Desselle Reid’s old co-star Halle Berry.
“Natalie represented actual black women, not what black women are perceived to be,” Berry Wrote For that she was often underrated, passed over — deprived of the platform she truly deserved. But her light continues to shine through the people who grew up watching her, the people who knew her best and those of us who loved her.”