AMC Star Esta TerBlanche Dead at 51

Actress Esta TerBlanche has died at the age of 51. The LA County medical examiner reported that she passed away on July 19 in her residence, but no cause of death has yet been announced. Her goddaughter, Barbie Ashley, confirmed the sad news to TMZ , saying TerBlanche “died unexpectedly on Thursday in her North Hollywood Home.”

Originally from South Africa, TerBlanche was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991 and played Bienkie Naudé Hartman on the South African drama Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992-95. She then went on to pursue an acting career in America and in 1997 was cast on All My Children as Gillian Andrassy.

During her years on AMC, TerBlanche was paired with Cameron Mathison’s Ryan Lavery, and the two became a very popular couple on the soap. When TerBlanche wanted to return home to South Africa, the character was killed off in 2001 when an assassin mistook her for Anna Devane, and Gillian’s heart was donated to Laura English. Though TerBlanche reprised the role for one episode in August 2011 as AMC was wrapping up its run on ABC.

“When I came back, it was really emotional for me and Cameron,” TerBlanche recently told Soap Opera Digest . “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.”

Splitting her time between South Africa and the U.S., TerBlanche was hoping to get back into acting and had been involved with the South African cancer foundation Create Your Breakthrough.

Our thoughts are with TerBlanche’s family and friends during this difficult time.