Esta TerBlanche
Esta TerBlanche | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 January 1973 Rustenburg, Transvaal, South Africa |
| Died | 19 July 2024 (aged 51) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–2013 |
| Spouse(s) | André Kock (1997–2008; divorced) |
Esta TerBlanche (7 January 1973 – 19 July 2024) was a South African actress, best known for her roles on television soap operas in both South Africa and the United States.[1]
Early life
[edit]TerBlanche was born in Rustenburg, Transvaal (now North West Province). She was of Huguenot descent. She grew up on a game farm, replete with monkeys, cows, horses, sheep, warthogs, and elands.[2]
Television
[edit]TerBlanche was crowned Miss Teen South Africa in 1991, and subsequently played Bienkie Naudé Hartman on the South African drama Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992 to 1995. In 1995, TerBlanche decided not to renew her contract with Egoli and, instead, opted to further her acting career in the U.S.[2] Within three weeks of arriving in Los Angeles, she found her first job, acting in a hair products commercial.[2] In 1997, TerBlanche was cast in the role of Gillian Andrassy[3][4][5] on the American daytime drama All My Children. Gillian, a troublemaking princess, was killed off in 2001[6][7] as TerBlanche asked to be written out of the show to move back to South Africa.
TerBlanche made a guest appearance on Egoli: Place of Gold in 2004.[8] She also made additional appearances on South African TV and in movies, but later returned to the United States.[citation needed] In 2010, she was interviewed by the American magazine Soap Opera Digest. She reported then that she had divorced and taken a break from acting.[9] She stated that she had opened a spa, exploring her interest in the medical field and in healing.[9]
In the interview, TerBlanche also noted that she had begun acting again and had recently filmed a pilot in South Africa.[9] She expressed interest in returning to All My Children or acting in another soap, citing her time on All My Children as the best of her life.[9] In 2011, she was briefly profiled in the People magazine tribute to All My Children.[10] In August 2011, it was announced that TerBlanche would reprise the role of Gillian during the final weeks of All My Children's broadcast on American network television.[11] TerBlanche made a guest appearance on the show on 24 August 2011.[12]
Plays she appeared in include: The Glass Menagerie, Pygmalion, Hear Ye, and Ten Times Worse on Friday. She also starred in the film, Three Thieves and a Wedding.[3] TerBlanche also worked as a TV presenter in South Africa for the environmental program 50/50[13] and the children's show, K-T.V. TerBlanche was well known in South Africa and appeared on the covers of many magazines.
Death
[edit]TerBlanche died in Los Angeles on 19 July 2024, at the age of 51.[14][1][15] In January 2025, it was announced her cause of death was the result of an intracranial hemorrhage stemming from blunt force trauma, with the belief being this was sustained from a "ground level fall".[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Petri, Alexandra E. (22 July 2024). "Esta TerBlanche, 'All My Children' Star, Dies at 51". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Nancy M. Reichardt, "South African finds success in America," Austin American-Statesman, 16 January 2000, p. 37. Retrieved 14 October 2011 from Academic (Lexis-Nexis).
- ^ a b "About the Actors: Esta TerBlanche Archived 19 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine," Soap Central. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
- ^ "Soap Suds Archived 22 July 2024 at the Wayback Machine," Bartow Press, 25 August 1997, p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Soap Bubbles Archived 22 July 2024 at the Wayback Machine," Calhoun Times and Gordon County News, 16 August 1997, p. 17. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ Kroll, Dan J., "Esta TerBlanche leaving; Darnell Williams Staying Archived 11 September 2001 at the Wayback Machine," SoapCentral, 8 September 2001. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "'AMC' plans to drop actress and her character," The Dispatch (Lexington, N.C.), 1 December 2001, p. 27. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ "Celebrity Mailbag Archived 22 July 2024 at the Wayback Machine," The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), 5 April 1999. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Scene and Heard: Where Are They Now? Esta TerBlanche (Ex-Gillian, All My Children, 1997-2001)," Soap Opera Digest (7 December 2010), p. 60.
- ^ "Where Are They Now?," People Celebrates All My Children, 2011, p. 66.
- ^ ABC Soaps in Depth, "AMC Casting: TerBlanche Is Returning! Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine" 1 August 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
- ^ She Knows Soaps.com, "All My Children Newsroom: Ryan's Long Lost Love Returns Archived 12 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine," 22 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ "50/50 Beats the Odds Again and Again." IOL, 7 February 2004. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ Wright, Tracy; Stanton, Elizabeth (22 July 2024). "Esta TerBlanche, 'All My Children' actress, dead at 51". FoxNews.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (21 July 2024). "Esta TerBlanche Dies: All My Children Soap Star Was 51". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (29 January 2025). "All My Children's Esta TerBlanche Cause of Death Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on 29 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.