Tanya Roberts, best known for her role as the Bond girl in "A View to a Kill" and a recurring role on "That '70s Show," has died at 65.
Her death comes after a bizarre mixup where her publicist announced on Sunday that the star had passed away, but she was still alive.
The publicist, Mike Pingel, prematurely announced the star's death in a statement on her official Facebook fan page.
"I'm very sad to have to post this. Yes, Tanya passed away today. I'm heart broken," he wrote.
By Monday night he admitted Roberts was still alive and attributed the mixup to a miscommunication between himself and Roberts’ longtime partner, Lance O’Brien.
Roberts was hospitalized on Dec. 24 after she collapsed while walking her dogs, Pingel told The Hollywood Reporter. She did not have COVID-19 and was reportedly in good health in the days leading up to her death.
"I'm devastated. She was brilliant and beautiful and I feel like a light has been taken away," Pingel told THR. "To say she was an angel would be at the top of the list. She was the sweetest person you'd ever meet and had a huge heart. She loved her fans, and I don't think she realized how much she meant to them."
Born Victoria Leigh Blum in the Bronx, New York, Roberts supported her acting career by modeling and working as a dance instructor, according to IMDB. She appeared in several theatrical productions and TV commercials before landing a role in the horror film "Forced Entry" in 1975.
Roberts would appear in various other films, including the 1982 fantasy "The Beastmaster," for which she reportedly promoted by posing for the cover of Playboy, before making a big break in 1985, when she was cast as a Bond girl in "A View to a Kill." Roberts also appeared in "Body Slam" in 1987 and the 1990 thriller "Night Eyes."
Her career got a second boost in the '90s when she landed the role of Midge Pinciotti in "That '70s Show," which aired from 1998 to 2006. Although her acting career tapered off after that, Roberts stayed in touch with her fans. She is survived by her partner Lance O'Brien and her sister Barbara.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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