Jane Lapotaire, a beloved British actress whose career included a Tony award as well as appearances in two iconic television shows, has passed away at the age of 81, the Royal Shakespeare Company shared.
No cause of death was released.
“We are saddened to hear of the death of RSC Honorary Associate Artist, Jane Lapotaire,” the Royal Shakespeare Company wrote in an Instagram post. “A truly brilliant actress, Jane joined the RSC in 1974 to play Viola in Twelfth Night. A few years later she took the title role in Pam Gems’ Piaf, winning Olivier and TONY Best Actress awards.”
“n 1992 she played Gertrude opposite Kenneth Branagh in Adrian Noble’s Hamlet. Her final two performances for the Company were in 2013 as the Duchess of Gloucester in Greg Doran’s Richard II alongside David Tennant, and, in 2015, as Queen Isobel in Henry V, again directed by Greg,” the post continued. “Our thoughts are with Jane’s family and friends.”
Tributes Pour In For Jane Lapotaire
“RIP to the woman who gave us one of the most iconic Piaf performances ever and still managed to steal scenes in The Crown decades later,” one person wrote.
“Rest in peace, Jane Lapotaire. An incredible talent whose work will live on forever,” another person posted.
“Wonderful actor. I remember being captivated by her performance as Lady Macbeth in a BBC Shakespeare film opposite Nicol Williamson, back in the misty moments of the 1980s. Never forgotten that. I pretty much fell in love with theatre on the spot. 🎭,” a fan commented.
“Wonderful Actress .. first saw her in Piaf .. 1974.. Powerful performance ..a true inspiration to me as a young actress .. RIP Jane .. condolences to her family & friends ❤️🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻✨✨🎭🎭,” another fan said.
“Such sad news! I was only recently watching her as Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 80s series The Devil’s Crown. A most talented actress in every role,” one fan shared.
Jane Lapotaire Overcame A Medical Scare During Her Career
In 2000, while Lapotaire was teaching, she collapsed onstage in front of her students, detailing that “next thing I knew, I was staring into this bowl of red stuff.”
“I was [throwing] up blood from my brain,” she recalled, per Page Six, adding that it was due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
In a book she published in 2015, Lapotaire detailed her heartbreaking diganosis as well as her recovery afterwards.
“She has survived and now believes it herself when people say how lucky she is,” the book description says. “This is a very moving, darkly funny, honest book about what happens when the “you” you’ve known all your life is no longer the same you.
