In Memoriam: Fallen Stars of 2023
The soap opera world has lost a shining star.
Andrea Evans—whose acting credits include One Life to Live, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and Passions—died on July 9 following a “brave” battle with cancer, her manager Nick Leicht told E! News in a statement. She was 66.
“I’ve been working with Andrea for the past 7 years,” Leicht said. “She was such a tremendous talent and an absolute joy to work with.”
Evan’s publicist Clint Morris added in a separate statement, “Sadly, Andrea has indeed sadly left us.”
“She was an incredible talent but more than that, a wonderful person—always putting family before anything else,” Morris continued. “Another angel needed to be recruited though.”
Evans rose to fame in 1978 with her portrayal of Tina Lord on One Life to Live. After the role was briefly recasted with Kelli Maroney and Marsha Clark, Evans returned to the ABC hit in 1985 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1988 for her performance.
The actress departed from the series again during the 1990s, later revealing that she stepped away from the spotlight due to a stalker.
“It’s forever changed me,” she told People in 2008. “There’s no way it could not.”
In addition to Tina Lord, Evans played Patti Weaver on The Young and the Restless, Tawny Moore on The Bold and the Beautiful, Rebecca Hotchkiss on Passions Tawny Moore and Patty Walker on The Bay. She also appeared on the films A Low Down Dirty Shame, Ice Cream Man and Hit List.
In 2015, she earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work as Vivian Price in the web series DeVanity.
Evans complete her forthcoming memoir My One Life to Live shortly before her death, according to her manager.
She is survived by her husband Steve Rodriguez, daughter Kylie and dog Mila.
“Andrea was a remarkable individual, cherished by all who knew her,” Rodriguez said in a statement to E! News in the wake of Evans’ passing. “Her unwavering strength, positivity and indomitable spirit inspired us every step of the way throughout her fearless fight against this relentless disease. She faced the challenges with grace, resilience, and an enduring love for life.”
Meanwhile, their daughter called the death “an immeasurable loss.”
“At just 19 years old, my world has been forever changed, and words cannot adequately convey the depth of my sadness,” Kylie said. “Throughout her fight with cancer, my mom displayed awe-inspiring strength. She faced each hurdle with grace and determination, cherishing every precious moment. Despite the pain and uncertainty, she taught me the invaluable lesson of finding joy, even in the darkest of times. We held hands until the very end.”
According to Evans’ former manager Don Carroll, the actress’ favorite role was being a mom. “People often think she must be very like the characters she played on television,” Carroll said. “In reality, her greatest days were spent with no makeup, her hair in pigtails, and a ballcap on her head at Disneyland with her daughter Kylie.”
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