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Fans and friends are grieving the loss of actress Erica Ash, whose mother confirmed her daughter’s death in a statement to TMZ on July 29, 2024. Ash, who helped launch Hallmark‘s Mahogany movie franchise while starring in 2022’s “Unthinkably Good Things,” was 46.
Ash was also known for starring roles on BET’s parody series “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and “Survivor’s Remorse,” per IMDb, as well as recent guest star roles on Netflix’s “Family Reunion” and NBC’s “Extended Family.”
Her mother, Diann Ash, told TMZ, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, and friend Erica Chantal Ash (1977-2024). After a long and courageous battle with cancer, she transitioned peacefully surrounded by her loved ones.”
The statement continued, “Erica was an amazing woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit, humor, and genuine zest for life. Her memory will live eternally in our hearts.”
According to a tweet from Susan G. Komen, Ash died of metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer. Her mom’s statement asked that any donations in Ash’s memory be directed to Komen, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, “or the Breast Cancer Foundation of your choice.”
Hallmark Stars Pay Tribute to Erica Ash & Hallmark Channel Issues Statement on Her Death
As news of Ash’s death broke on July 29, many stars, including fellow Hallmark talent, expressed their sadness on social media.
Karen Pittman, one of her “Unthinkably Good Things” co-stars, shared multiple photos of Ash while they were filming in Tuscany and wrote, “Sending love to the incredible Queen, Erica Ash. @theericaash It was an honor to help build the @hallmarkmahogany brand with you and to get to know your wit and intelligence. Your beauty and spirit live on…🕊️🕊️”
In his Instagram Stories, co-star Lance Gross shared a photo of them together in the movie and wrote, “Erica you & your light shined so brightly. You will be missed deeply 🕊️ Heaven gained a treasure in you 😢💔”
Hallmark actor Ronnie Rowe Jr. shared a photo in his Stories from the set of their 2017 BET series “Contempt” and wrote, “You were a fierce opponent and tremendous talent, but even a more beautiful human. Thank you for the insightful conversation and laughs. Rest (in) Paradise Queen”
In an Instagram post, friend and longtime Hallmark star Holly Robinson Peete noted Ash’s generosity with her family’s foundation and said that she had seen the actress weeks before her death. In one of Ash’s only Story highlights on her Instagram page, she featured a brief video with Robinson Peete at an event in May 2022, in which the two shared how much they loved each other.
Sharing two photos of Ash, Robinson Peete wrote in her caption, “My heart is shattered 💔💔💔💔💔Erica Ash was so loved. A brilliant and hilarious actress with a giver’s heart to boot! Always supported @hollyrodfdn we could always count on her to show up and elevate the room… I saw her just a few weeks ago…and I didn’t know it would be the last time…she was just remarkably effervescent and made me so happy to be in her presence… Oh Erica… this is so hard😭😭😭😭🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽”
Hallmark Channel also issued a statement on July 29, posting a photo of Ash across multiple social media accounts with the caption, “We’re deeply sorry to hear about the passing of Erica Ash of Unthinkably Good Things. She will be missed greatly and we send our condolences to her family, friends, and fans.”
Actress Autumn Reeser was among hundreds of people who replied to the post, writing, “😢 Erica was so talented and funny. I’m so sorry to read this news. :(”
Erica Ash Was Particularly Proud of Her Involvement With Hallmark Mahogany
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Getty(From L to R): “Unthinkably Good Things” cast members Monique Nash, Korin D. Williams, Jermaine Love, Erica Ash, director Terri J. Vaughn, Lance Gross, and Karen Pittman at the 48th Annual Gracie Awards on May 23, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.
“Unthinkably Good Things” was the first project in Hallmark’s Mahogany movie franchise, an extension of Hallmark’s line of greeting cards designed to honor and celebrate Black culture, per Forbes. The movie starred her, Pittman and Joyful Drake as three girlfriends who travel to Italy for a reunion and wind up taking a deep look at their lives and loves.
Hallmark threw a huge reception in 2022 to celebrate Mahogany’s launch and premiered the movie, which Ash shared multiple times on social media. Hallmark Media announced that movies made under the Mahogany banner would offer “powerful storytelling that exemplifies Hallmark’s core ethos – family, community, human connection, positivity, and the transformational power of love – through the unique lens of Black culture.”
“We are honored to bring positive, TRUE representations of black women to Hallmark under #Mahogany,” Ash wrote in one post celebrating the movie.
Ash was also on stage with her co-stars when the movie won a Gracie Award in 2023, writing on Instagram, “What a night.. my film won best movie at the #GracieAwards2023 and I got to celebrate with with some pretty amazing people!”
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