Georgina Cates, the English actress known for An Awfully Big Adventure and Clay Pigeons, died on May 6 at 51, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Her death received wider media coverage in October, more than five months later. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed.
Born Clare Elaine Woodgate in Essex, Cates began her television career under her birth name. Her work eventually took her from British television into American films.
She was married to Scream and Riverdale actor Skeet Ulrich from 1997 until their divorce in 2005. They welcomed twins Naiia and Jakob in 2001.
Her Daughter Remembered Her as ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Free-Spirited’
Naiia shared a tribute on Instagram on June 11, posting family photographs and remembering a mother who found ways to make people laugh despite difficulties in her life. She described Cates as “beautiful” and “free-spirited” and thanked her for her creativity, curiosity and bravery.
Her memories included oversized sunglasses, loose clothing and the habit of doodling while talking. Ulrich responded to their daughter with a message of love, PEOPLE reported.
On October 17, 2point4 Children creator Andrew Marshall said he had only just learned of Cates’ death. He remembered her as “lovely and talented” and offered condolences to her family, according to Entertainment Weekly.
She Reinvented Herself to Win ‘An Awfully Big Adventure’
Cates landed her first major television role at 16 as Jenny Porter, the teenage daughter on 2point4 Children. She played the character during the BBC sitcom’s first two seasons, in 1991 and 1992, before appearances in other British series, including The Bill and Ghosts.
Her career took an unusual turn when she pursued Stella in Mike Newell’s 1995 film An Awfully Big Adventure. Initially unsuccessful in securing the part, she tried again with red hair and a new identity, presenting herself as Georgina Cates, an inexperienced teenager from Liverpool.
She won the role opposite Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman and retained her new professional name afterward. In a 1995 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Newell said she did not reveal that she was an older, experienced actress until filming had finished.
Her Later Work Included ‘Clay Pigeons,’ ‘Bad Grandpa’ and Photography
Cates’ film credits also included Frankie Starlight, Big City Blues and Illuminata. She appeared alongside Ulrich and Kiefer Sutherland in the 1998 Vietnam War drama A Soldier’s Sweetheart.
In David Dobkin’s 1998 black comedy Clay Pigeons, she played Amanda, a married woman having an affair with her husband’s friend, Clay, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Vince Vaughn and Janeane Garofalo also starred in the film, which follows Clay as a series of deaths makes him a murder suspect.
Her later screen work included a guest appearance on The Closer and roles in Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and Everlasting. She also built a photography career in Los Angeles, with work spanning celebrity portraits, advertising campaigns and exhibitions.
In her WrapWomen biography, Cates described the connection she sought during portrait sessions: “I don’t take photographs of people. WE simply spend time together with my heart and my camera as witnesses.”