CELEBRITY
Halle Berry, Eve, Brandy React To Passing Of Natalie Desselle-Reid
Actress Natalie Desselle-Reid best known for her role in the 1997 cult classic “B.A.P.S” passed away on Monday following a battle with colon cancer.
A family member told TMZ the 53-year-old chose to keep her illness private after having been diagnosed earlier this year. She was in hospice care in her final days, and was surrounded by family when she went.
An official statement reads, “It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beautiful Natalie this morning. She was a bright light in this world. A queen. An extraordinary mother and wife.”
Soon after the announcement was made tributes and messages from some of the veteran actresses friends and colleagues hit social media.
Just absolutely decimated by this news…
Actress Natalie Desselle, a bright shining star passed away this morning. I got to know her when my mom was managing her.
She will be so missed…sending out prayers to her children and husband.
💔🙏🏽😢
Rest In Peace, Sweet Girl🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/BsyltHxKRG— Holly Robinson Peete😷🥰 (@hollyrpeete) December 7, 2020
Halle Berry who starred alongside Desselle-Reid in “B.A.P.S” reacted on social media writing: “I’m in total shock, she said along with a video of she and Natalie hugging on set of the film. “Completely heartbroken. gonna need a minute. #RIP”
A few hours later she posted a lengthy message about Desselle-Reid.
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Just four days ago, Berry posted a throwback Instagram video of her and Desselle-Reid in character while shopping on Rodeo Drive. When a fan commented, “You do know there is a whole generation of us that are obsessed with this movie,” Berry replied: “I do and I love you all for that. this film is very dear to my heart.”
Desselle-Reid also starred in films like “Set If Off”, “How To Be A Player”, Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family” and quite notably the made-for-TV movie “Cinderella,” featuring Brandy, in which Natalie played the evil step-sister, Minerva.
Brandy also shared her condolences online writing: “Rest in Paradise #NatalieDesselleReid 🌹 Sending my prayers to her family and all those that are hurting.”
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Eve who shared the screen with Desselle-Reid from three years on her eponymous UPN sitcom “Eve” also reacted to the news in a post on social media and asked fans to pray for Desselle-Reid’s family.
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She leaves behind her husband, Leonard, and 3 children.