Remembering Actress Erica Ash: Gone at 46 from Cancer

Actress Erica Ash, who was made famous by her roles in movies like the ‘Scary Movie’ films and hit series like “Survivor’s Remorse” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood” with Kevin Hart, has passed away just months before her 47th birthday.

The popular actress was remembered by industry heavyweights in movies, TV, and radio. She’s being remembered even more on her birthday, September 19th.

According to TMZ, her mother, Diann Ash stated, “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.”

BET was one of the first to announce Ash’s passing in late July a statement shared on Instagram, writing, “Today, #BETRemembers actress and comedienne Erica Ash who has passed away at the age of 46. Known for being equal parts witty and funny, Erica starred in BET favorites such as legal drama In Contempt and the reality spoof Real Husbands of Hollywood.”

“We send our deepest condolences and love to her parents, siblings, friends, and family,” the statement continued alongside photos and videos of Ash. Fly high Queen.”

Before Hollywood, She Wanted a Career in Medicine

Erica Chantal Ash was born in Florida on Sept. 19, 1977, and raised in Atlanta, where she attended Emory University to study medicine. She took a break and went to Japan, where she “fell into a background singing gig my first week there” and did some modeling, she told the Los Angeles Times in 2017.

“Then my modeling team was doing a show for the royal family of Japan at this hotel and the ringside announcer thought I should ringside announce. Literally, one thing led to another, so I tell people I’m the Forrest Gump of my field. I just blindly, by faith, walked through life and said ‘yes’ to things that were presented to me, and it led me here.”

Before landing her TV and movie roles, she worked on Broadway in 2011 in Baby It’s You!, the jukebox musical from Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott that featured music from The Shirelles and other acts signed to Scepter Records.

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How Did Erica Pass Away?

In the statement, the family shared she had a long battle with cancer. This is something that many of her fans and everyday people didn’t know. But cancer deaths are becoming way too familiar with the latest data surrounding Black women’s ongoing battle with various types of cancer.

Black women have higher rates of death from certain types of cancer than non-Hispanic white women, even though they may be diagnosed at similar rates:

• – Breast cancer

• Black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, even though they are diagnosed at a 4% lower rate. This disparity is even greater for Black women under 50, who have double the mortality rate of white women of the same age. Breast cancer is often diagnosed at later stages and is more aggressive in Black women than in white women.

• – Stomach cancer

• Black women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with stomach cancer and 2.3 times more likely to die from it than white women.

• – Cervical cancer

• Black women are 60% more likely to die from cervical cancer than white women.

• – Endometrial cancer

• Black women are nearly twice as likely to die from endometrial cancer than white women.

The American Cancer Society is beginning a 30-year study to investigate why these cancers disproportionately affect Black women. The risk of dying from cancer has steadily declined in the U.S. over the last few decades, but Black women still have some of the lowest survival rates.

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What Did Other Stars Think of Erica?

Comedian Loni Love confirmed that her friend was no longer here and shared her condolences.

“Sad to confirm my friend and fellow actress Erica Ashe’s passing” wrote Loni on X (formerly Twitter). “Erica was talented & hilarious. Whether it was the show Survivor’s Remorse or Madtv, she would put her all into her work. She would always just be there.. now she’s gone.. My sincere condolences to her family.”

Mike Epps, her ‘Survivor’s Remorse’ co-star, paid tribute to her on Instagram.

“RIP ERICA 🥲 gone to soon she was such a great person to work with full of life and funny and talent you left a great mark on earth 🌍 🕊️🕊️🕊️” he wrote.

Ash first made an impression by starring on the first two seasons (2006-08) of Logo’s The Big Gay Sketch Show, produced by Rosie O’Donnell, and she appeared on the big screen in films including Scary Movie V (2013), Uncle Drew (2018), The Big Bend (2021) and Violet (2021).

Ash played Mary Charles (“M-Chuck”) Calloway, half-sister of Jessie T. Usher’s pro basketball player Cam Calloway, on all four seasons (2014-17) of Survivor’s Remorse. The series was produced by LeBron James at his Spring Hill Productions.

As Bridgette Hart, she made life extremely difficult for her ex-husband Kevin Hart on Real Husbands of Hollywood, which ran for five seasons, from 2013-16.

Robin Thede, the creator of “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” wrote on Instagram via her production company For Better Or Words Inc., “We are truly devastated to hear of comedian Erica Ash’s passing. She was a force of nature and we had the pleasure of working with her on S2 of A Black Lady Sketch Show, where she was a standout on camera and off. Erica was truly a light and will be dearly missed.”