AMC Stars Remember Esta TerBlanche

The soap world was shaken by the sudden news that All My Children star Esta TerBlanche had passed away at the age of 51 . Fans and friends were devastated by the news, including Cameron Mathison (Drew, General Hospital ), who played Ryan to her Gillian on the ABC soap and created one of Pine Valley’s most popular supercouples.

The actor shared a trio of photos in his Instagram Stories. A shot from Ryan and Gillian’s lavish wedding was captioned with “RIP my sweet princess” and a broken heart emoji. Over an old gallery photo the two actors took together back in the day he simply posted a series of broken heart emojis. And on a selfie he’d snapped with her recently, he revealed: “Esta helped me last year when [my dog] Red was sick and paralyzed and I was struggling. One of the sweetest people ever.”

Cady McClain , who played Dixie on AMC, shared a photo they’d taken together in a restaurant and some memories of her dear friend. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Esta TerBlanche,” she declared. She was a friend and colleague from my early AMC days in the 1990s that I reconnected with in 2011 when I was in LA shooting the show again.

“We had a lot of fun working on a pilot together based on her life,” McClain continued. “She was funny and fun and full of good ideas. She was also a smart, kind person who was always looking out for others. She had a silly side but also loved drinking champagne and feeling fabulous, as I sometimes like to do! We were hardworking girls who became hardworking women. I admired the part of her that was determined to hold her own and stand her own ground while at the same time being a woman that loved very deeply. I wish her soul a peaceful journey and her living family, dear friends, and loved ones every comfort.”

Vincent Irizarry (David) also shared a photo from when he spent some time reconnecting with her at a party in December 2023. “I’m absolutely shocked and saddened to have learned of the sudden passing of dear Esta TerBlanche,” he wrote. “She was truly a kind, sweet soul, whom I will be forever grateful to have had the pleasure of knowing and working with during our years together on AMC. She left us way, way too soon… RIP, dear, sweet Esta.”