Legendary actress Dame Diana Rigg has died at the age of 82, the actress passing away from cancer after being diagnosed in March.
Rigg was famed for her fierce intelligence, fearlessness, devastating dry wit, beauty and commanding presence – always playing fiery, vivacious, strong and rich female characters who controlled practically any room they entered.
Rachael Stirling, her daughter, says in a statement: “She spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession.”
Rigg is most famous for three major roles – as the catsuited ass-kicking agent Emma Peel in the original “The Avengers” series, as the fiery Countess Teresa di Vicenzo who became the only woman to marry James Bond (even then only for a few minutes) in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” and as the sharp-tongued Oleanna Tyrell in HBO’s “Game of Thrones”.
Her career was wide and varied though, including decades of work on the stage in roles ranging from Medea to Cleopatra, Lady Macbeth, Mrs. Higgins, Mother Courage and more – landing four Tony Awards nominations in the process.
On film she sparred with Maggie Smith as the victim Arlena Marshall in the Agatha Christie adaptation “Evil Under the Sun,” she was Lady Holiday in “The Great Muppet Caper,” the Evil Queen in 1987’s “Snow White” and the Mother Superior in “The Painted Veil”.
On TV, she lead the 1970s mini-series “Diana,” won an Emmy playing the manipulative Mrs. Danvers in the 1987 version of “Rebecca,” won awards for her work in the mini-series “Mother Love,” turned detective in “The Mrs Bradley Mysteries,” played the Baroness Lehzen in “Victoria & Albert,” starred in adaptations of “Witness for the Prosecution” and “King Lear,” and had memorable guest turns on “Extras” and “Doctor Who”.
Rigg’s last roles were in Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho” and a new mini-series take on “Black Narcissus” both due out next year.
