British film and stage actress Billie Whitelaw, known for her work with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett—who once described her as “the perfect actress”—has died at the age of 82.
The Associated Press reports that Whitelaw passed away Sunday at Denville Hall, a London care home used by many retired professional actors.
According to the Guardian, Whitelaw began her entertainment career as a child actress on radio programs and trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The actress began her working relationship with Beckett in 1963 and appeared in several of Beckett’s plays, including Play, Not I, and Footfalls, which Beckett wrote specifically for the actress.
The actress also appeared in over 50 movies, with memorable turns in BAFTA-winning performances in Charlie Bubbles and Twisted Nerve, as well as her role as the possessed nanny, Mrs. Baylock, in The Omen.
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