Prayers for her family: ‘B.A.P.S.’ and ‘Cinderella’ star Natalie Desselle-Reid dies of colon cancer at 53
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Article By Tessa Samuels // Notable Deaths // EEW Magazine Online
Actress Natalie Desselle-Reid, known for her roles in Cinderella and B.A.P.S (Black American Princess) has passed away from colon cancer at the age of 53.
Her family issued a statement obtained by EEW Magazine Online expressing their overwhelming grief at the tragic loss of the entertainer, also a devoted wife and mother.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beautiful Natalie this morning,” began the statement. “She was a bright light in this world. A queen. An extraordinary mother and wife. Her diverse career touched so many and she will be loved forever. Naturally, we are grieving and processing this profound loss and we thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
Holly Robinson Peete, who co-starred with Desselle-Reid on the NBC/WB sitcom For Your Love, first broke the news on Twitter, calling her a “bright shining star,” adding that she was “absolutely decimated by this news.”
“I got to know her when my mom was managing her,” Robinson Peete said. “She will be so missed… Sending out prayers to her children and husband.”
Citing a family source, TMZ reports that Desselle-Reid, who appeared in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family, had been in hospice care prior to her death. Since the news broke, tributes have poured in from fans and supporters on social media.
Desselle-Reid was born in Alexandria, La. in 1967 and spent her childhood there. She attended college at Grambling State, one of Louisiana’s historically Black universities.
Natalie Desselle-Reid and Oscar-winning co-star Halle Berry in B.A.P.S
She landed her first television and movie roles in the same year, Family Matters and Set It Off respectively. The following year, in 1997, Desselle-Reid starred in the cult classic B.A.P.S opposite Halle Berry, who reacted to the star’s death.
“I’m in total shock,” said Berry on social media. “Completely heartbroken. Gonna need a minute.”
Desselle-Reid also landed a supporting role in Cinderella, the made-for-TV movie starring Brandy and the late Whitney Houston. She was a series regular on shows like Built to Last, For Your Love, and Eve.
Just months prior to her own passing, Desselle-Reid wrote a touching tribute to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who also died of colon cancer, saying, “He will never be forgotten.”
And neither will she.