South African actress Esta TerBlanche recently passed away at the age of 51. Her representative, manager, and former on-screen love interest have expressed deep grief on social media, sharing heartfelt tributes to her memory.
Esta TerBlanche, known for her role in the TV series “All My Children” and as Miss Teen South Africa 1991, passed away at 51, her family confirmed to TMZ on July 21, 2024. Her goddaughter, Barbie Ashley, reportedly said she “died unexpectedly” at her North Hollywood home.
Esta TerBlanche as Gillian Andrassy and Cameron Mathison as Ryan Lavery in the TV series “All My Children” | Source: Getty Images
The former beauty queen’s cause of death is still under investigation by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. However, TMZ reported that medical personnel believed she had been dead for about a day before she was found.
In the wake of this tragic news, TerBlanche’s colleagues in the entertainment world have spoken about her sudden death.
TerBlanche’s representative, Lisa Rodrigo, shared on Facebook that the former beauty queen died of natural causes. “An autopsy report is pending. I am still processing and in shock. Esta was a beautiful soul in and out. I was proud to know her and work with her,” she said.
Like Rodrigo, TerBlanche’s manager, Annie Spoliansky also shared her grief. “We are deeply saddened by this news. As for a personal statement, I’d like to say that Esta was such a kind, loving, giving, and caring person,” she explained.
She highlighted TerBlanche’s deep care for people and animals, noting how she lovingly looked after squirrels every day and treated her cats and kittens as if they were her own children. Spoliansky described the late actress as “generous and lovely” towards her.
Actor Cameron Mathison, who played TerBlanche’s husband Ryan Lavery on “All My Children,” shared Spoliansky and Rodrigo’s heartbreak. He paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing, “RIP my Sweet Princess,” along with a photo of them in character.
Cameron Mathison’s Instagram Story tribute for his late co-star Esta TerBlanche, posted in July 2024 | Source: Instagram/cameronmathison
TerBlanche played Gillian Andrassy, a Hungarian princess, in the TV series “All My Children” from 1997 to 2001. The late actress once highlighted their special bond on and off the screen in an interview with Soap Opera Digest on July 13, 2024.
Cameron Mathison as Ryan Lavery and Esta TerBlanche as Gillian Andrassy in a wedding scene from “All My Children” in April 2001 | Source: Getty Images
“It was such a privilege to be on the show. Cameron 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 reflected. She also shared a personal story about babysitting Mathison’s dog, Red, who had cancer.
She said of Red, “He was supposed to stay a day, but I kept saying he could stay longer, and after five nights, he started to walk, and it was such an amazing experience. A few months later, Red did pass away, but he got so much better in that time, and we had a very special time.”
Outside of acting, TerBlanche was involved in “Create Your Breakthrough,” a cancer foundation in South Africa. Her passion for this cause is driven by her personal experiences with cancer; she lost her mother to the disease and her father is currently battling it.
“I just feel really passionate about this. I would be so thrilled if, in this lifetime, we can come up with some kind of a cure. It would be such a miracle,” she said.
TerBlanche’s contributions to the entertainment industry and her philanthropic efforts leave a lasting legacy. She is survived by her ex-husband, André Kock, and her goddaughter Ashley.