In tragic news, rising Broadway star Laurel Griggs passed away at just 13-years-old this month, devastating fans, friends, and family of the young actress.
Laurel is best known for her role as Ivanka in the Tony Award winning musical ‘ONCE.’
Laurel performed the role for 17 months from 2013 through to 2015.
She also appeared on two episodes of ‘Saturday Night Live.’
She also appeared alongside Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart in Cafe Society in 2016.
She passed away on November 5th.
Her grandfather shared in a Facebook post that the cause of death was a “massive asthma attack,” and added that “the world lost a real princess who only wanted to make the future happy for all.”
“Acting was just a childhood dream come true.”
“She had big plans for the future,” he wrote, “and if you read her friends statements you will know that she was a one of a kind.”
Her father, Andrew, has just broken his silence following her passing.
Speaking to CNN , Andrew has said, “She was never complacent, always rehearsing moves and lines,” and that whenever he told her to relax, she would respond, “Daddy, not many people get a chance like this.”
“She turned out to be a big deal. Bigger than I thought,” he said.
He also told CNN that his daughter had suffered from asthma for about two years.
On November 5th, he revealed that she suffered an asthma attack and was taken to the hospital, where unfortunately she passed away after going into cardiac arrest two hours later.
“I think everybody did everything they could,” her father said.
“It just comes so suddenly.”
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Our thoughts are with Laurel’s family and friends at this tragic time.
Eliza Holland Madore, another young actress who played the part of Ivanka in ‘ONCE’ shared this emotional tribute.
“I am deeply saddened by the sudden loss of one of my Ivanka sisters,” she wrote. “Laurel- you were always smiling and always made other people laugh.”
“I’m so incredibly grateful that I got to know you.”
“You will never be forgotten, and we will never stop loving you. Everybody in the Once Family is going to keep you alive through us.”
“I had the distinct pleasure of getting to direct Laurel in two plays last year at her school,” wrote Jessica Threet on Laurel’s Facebook page.
“I could tell she had something special to give the world. She had such a bright light shining from her. She was kind to everyone, hard working, and just a pleasure to be around.”
The Young Broadway Actors News site also made a post in loving memory of Laurel.
The post reads, “Laurel was a brilliant young lady whose impact in the lives of everyone she met went far beyond her immense talent. Her wisdom and kindness were gifts to the theatre community during her time on Earth.”
