The Heartbreaking Death Of Charmed Actor Rebecca Balding
Rebecca Balding, the actress best known for her role on the hit show "Charmed," sadly died at the age of 73, as confirmed by her husband (via People). Her cause of death is related to her ovarian cancer diagnosis. She passed away at the home she shared with her husband, actor and director James L. Conway.
Balding met Conway, also an actor, nearly four decades ago. He told People, "I was casting the film, 'The Boogens.' Rebecca came in to audition," adding, "We chatted, she read and when she left, I turned to the associate producer and said, 'I could marry that girl.'"
He added that their romance was a whirlwind following their encounter, "Somehow she got cast. The first week of shooting we went out. That Saturday night, she proposed. And four weeks later, while still shooting, we got married. Of course, no one thought it would last. That was 41 years ago."
While Balding had a long and successful career in Hollywood, many remember her best for her role as Elise Rothman, the boss of Alyssa Milano, and Aunt Jackie, on "Charmed" (per NBC News).
The actress had a long career in Hollywood
Rebecca Balding was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, where she spent the majority of her early life. She would attend college at the University of Kansas. She got her start in acting on the stage in Chicago before she ventured to Hollywood in hopes of landing roles in film and television (via NBC News).
She would land her first television role in the 1970s in the action drama "The Bionic Woman," and from there, her career only got more successful. She was then cast as Carol David in the drama/comedy show "Soap," alongside Billy Crystal (per USA Today).
Aside from her TV success on "Soap" and later "Charmed," Balding played a major role in horror films of the late '70s and early '80s. Many have credited her for pioneering the scream queen archetype after her work in "The Silent Scream" and "The Boogens."
Balding and her husband had two daughters together, Sarah and Kathleen, who she is survived by, as well as her grandchildren. Balding will certainly be missed.