(DailyVantage.com) – Television and film actress Erica Ash died on July 28 after a “long and courageous” fight with breast cancer at the age of 46.
Ash’s publicist confirmed on July 30 that the former star of BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and the sketch comedy series “Mad TV” passed away in Los Angeles surrounded by her family after a battle with metastatic breast cancer.
Ash’s mother Diann described her daughter as a “talented entertainer” and “amazing woman” whose humor, wit, and “zest for life” touched so many people.
In an Instagram post, BET expressed its condolences to Ash’s family and friends over the death of the actress who also appeared in the network’s legal drama “In Contempt.”
Originally from Florida, Ash graduated from Emory University in Atlanta where she studied medicine.
In a 2017 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Ash said that after she graduated, she decided to take a break to give herself time to figure out what she wanted to do.
Ash traveled to Japan where she pursued a career in performing before eventually taking modeling jobs. While in Japan, Ash landed her first movie role which earned her enough money to pay off her student loan.
The actress described herself as “the Forrest Gump” of her field, explaining that she walked blindly through life saying “yes” to everything presented to her.
Ash’s career also included a brief stint in stand-up comedy before she settled on a career in acting.
As a regular cast member on the Fox sketch comedy series “Mad TV,” Ash impersonated former Republican Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice as well as former First Lady Michelle Obama. Before joining “Mad TV” in 2008, Ash joined the cast of Rosie O’Donnell’s “The Big Gay Sketch Show.”
From 2013 to 2016, Ash starred as actor Kevin Hart’s ex-wife Bridgette in the BET parody series “Real Husbands of Hollywood.”
The actress appeared on Broadway in the jukebox musical “Baby It’s You,” and was also part of the touring company of “The Lion King.”
Ash’s family asked that donations be made in Erica’s memory to breast cancer charities like the Susan G. Koman Cancer Foundation.
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