All My Children's Esta TerBlanche said she wanted to return to acting just 5 days before her death

Esta TerBlanche had been trying to get back into acting before her untimely death .

The actress, best-known for playing Gillian Andrassy in All My Children , died suddenly at her home in North Hollywood on Thursday at the age of 51, it was announced today. Medical responders believe she had been dead in the property for around a day before she was discovered. Esta's cause of death is currently under investigation, according to her representative Lisa Rodrigo.

Only five days before her tragic death, Esta revealed that she was looking to return to the soap opera world, after taking a break from acting over the last 23 years. The star also hinted that she was working on a project with her All My Children co-star Cameron Mathison.

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Speaking to Soap Opera Digest about returning to the screen, she said: “It’s definitely something I would like to get back into." Esta stepped away from Hollywood after her character, Gillian, was killed off on the hit US series. The actress moved back to her home country of South Africa, opened her own spa and developed her off-screen TV skills, working on several documentaries.

Later in the interview, Esta reflected fondly on her time starring in the soap. She said: "The people I worked with were all so wonderful. It was such a privilege to be on the show."

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Describing her long friendship with Cameron, Esta hinted that the duo may have been working together on an upcoming project. Speaking about how she had spent time with her co-star and his beloved dog recently, she said: “I saw Cameron recently; I was babysitting his beautiful dog Red, who had cancer, and he was doing everything for him. 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.”

Tributes poured in for Esta, following the shocking news of her death. The All My Children X account wrote: "Rest in Peace Esta TerBlanche. Thank you for entertaining us with your beautiful and captivating performance. We will miss you, Princess." One fan replied: "Oh no! This is sad news. My condolences to Esta's family, friends, and colleagues."