Actress Helen McCrory has sadly passed away at the age of 52, her husband Damian Lewis has confirmed.
Lewis announced his wife, who was most known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and the Harry Potter films, had died after a “heroic battle with cancer”.
He posted on Twitter: “I’m heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family.”
With nearly 30 years of experience on stage and on screen, McCrory was able to hone her craft as an actress over the years and in 2013, she landed a big role as the feisty Polly on Peaky Blinders.
She also played MP Clair Dowar in the 2012 James Bond movie Skyfall, and former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s wife Cherie in the films The Queen and The Special Relationship.
Since the news of McCrory’s passing emerged , many of her peers and co-stars have paid tribute to the late star.
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight said: “Helen was one of the great actors of her generation. She was so powerful and controlled and this is so sad.”
Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby in the show, added that he was “broken-hearted to lose such a dear friend”, describing her as “a beautiful, caring, funny, compassionate human being”.
“She was also a gifted actor – fearless and magnificent. She elevated and made humane every scene, every character she played,” he said, adding it was “a privilege to have worked with this brilliant woman… I will dearly miss my pal”.