Who was Helen McCrory and how did she die?
HELEN McCrory, one of the UK's most successful actresses, passed away on April 16, 2021 after a battle with cancer.
The Hollywood actress and star of both stage and screen, was admired for her roles in Harry Potter, Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who.
Who was Helen McCrory?
Helen McCrory was an award-winning actress who was born in London on August 17, 1968.
The eldest of three children her father came from Glasgow and her mother from Wales.
She studied at the Drama Centre in London before making her name in the theatre industry, winning awards for her performance in 1993's Trelawny of the 'Wells'.
Helen performed in several plays, TV shows and movies as well as being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to drama.
How did she die?
Aged just 52, Helen passed away following a battle with cancer.
Helen's death was announced by her husband, Damian, who took to social media to confirm the tragic news in a statement that read: "I'm heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family.
"She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we loved her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."
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Who is Helen McCrory's husband Damian Lewis?
Helen was married to fellow actor Damian Lewis after they tied the knot in July 2007.
Lewis is best known for his starring roles in some of the biggest TV hits of recent years including Band Of Brothers, Homeland and Wolf Hall.
The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Manon, in September 2006, and then a son, Gulliver, in November 2007.
This year Damian will once again taking part in Soccer Aid for Unicef, a football match, where England take on the rest of the world in a show broadcast on ITV to raise money for the charity.
Damian Lewis was spotted training in London ahead of the match alongside England teammates Liam Payne, Tom Greenan, and Russell Howard.
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What TV and movies did she star in?
Helen's first pregnancy forced her to pull out of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2007), in which she had been cast as Bellatrix Lestrange.
She was later cast as Bellatrix's sister Narcissa Malfoy in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, and reprised her role in the final films, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2.
Helen also appeared in Doctor Who and Penny Dreadful and is perhaps best known for playing matriarch Aunt Polly in the hit show, Peaky Blinders.
She also made a brief appearance in James Bond movie Skyfall as an MP as well as taking on the role of Cherie Blair in 2006 movie The Queen.
In 2017 she played Emma Banville in TV mini-series Fearless.
In March 2019 Helen was on our screens again in BBC2 drama, MotherFatherSon, which starred Richard Gere, Billy Howle and Sarah Lancashire.
In 2020 she appeared in Quiz, Roadkill and His Dark Materials where she played Stelmaria.