Actress Helen McCrory, known for her roles in Harry Potter and Peaky Blinders, died on Friday, April 16, 2021 after fighting cancer. Her husband, actor Damian Lewis, confirmed the news on Twitter. She was 52 years old.
“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,” Lewis wrote on Twitter. “She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love 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.”
She played Polly Gray in the British crime drama series Peaky Blinders and was Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, in the Harry Potter films, among other notable roles.
Born in Paddington, London on August 17, 1968, McCrory studied acting at the Drama Centre in London. Her onscreen career began in ’93 on the shows Full Stretch and Performance. She played the titular character in the Anna Karenina miniseries, starred in the series North Square and The Jury, and was in the miniseries The Last King.
She did a guest spot on Doctor Who, starred in the Fearless miniseries, had a recurring role in Penny Dreadful, and recently voiced Stelmaria for His Dark Materials.
Her film work included The Count of Monte Cristo, Casanova, The Queen, Becoming Jane, Hugo, and Skyfall.
Also a stage actress, McCrory won third prize at the Ian Charleson Awards for Trelawny of the ‘Wells’, was nominated for a London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for Uncle Vanya, and was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for As You Like It.