Actress Annie Wersching, best known for her roles on TV shows such as "Timeless" and "24" has died aged 45 after a three-year battle with cancer. News of her death was confirmed by her publicist, friends and family via social media on Sunday morning.
Wersching, a consummate professional, continued to shoot for roles in the popular television series "Star Trek: Picard" as the Borg queen in Season 2 and "The Rookie" despite the devastating diagnosis in 2020. She also voiced Tess in the popular "The Last Of Us" video game, which was adapted into a TV series by HBO. Tributes have since flooded in for the actress.
Gone too Soon
Wersching was battling cancer since 2020. However, the type of cancer she was battling hasn't been specified by her family. Stephen Full, Wersching's husband, also shared the sad news in a statement to Deadline. "There is a cavernous hole in the soul of this family today. But she left us the tools to fill it," the actor stated.
"She found wonder in the simplest moment. She didn't require music to dance. She taught us not to wait for adventure to find you. 'Go find it. It's everywhere.' And find it we shall," the statement continued.
"As I drove our boys, the true loves of her life, down the winding driveway and street, she would yell BYE! until we were out of earshot and into the world. I can still hear it ringing. Bye my Buddie. 'I love you little family...'"
The widower continued by praising his wife's accomplishments and inspiring character. Wersching appeared in a number of other television shows in addition to "24," which includes titles like "Bosch," "Timeless," "The Vampire Diaries," Marvel's "Runaways," "The Rookie," and "Star Trek: Picard."
Tributes Pour In
On Sunday, a large number of Wersching's professional acquaintances posted memorials to the adored actress on social media.
"We just lost a beautiful artist and human being. My heart is shattered. Thoughts are with her loved ones," tweeted Neil Druckmann, who created "The Last of Us," a video game that featured Wersching's voice as the role of Tess.
Wersching's director on the popular Fox drama series 24, Jon Cassar, also paid tribute to his lost friend on Twitter, saying she had already "made her mark."
"My heart is broken in more pieces than I can count," wrote 64-yearold Cassar, who worked as both a director and producer on the show's first seven seasons.
"Annie came into my world with an open heart and a contagious smile,' he continued. 'Brandishing such talent, she took my breath away. Annie became more than a workmate, she became a real friend to me, my family and every cast and crew member that worked with her.
"She'll be truly missed by them and the fans she always found time to interact with. Annie you'll be missed, you left your mark, and we're all the better for it."
"We love you Annie Wersching. You will be deeply missed," added Wersching's former "Timeless" co-star Abigail Spencer.
Wersching began her acting career more than 20 years ago when she was only 24 years old. She quickly shot to prominence with performances in minor but noteworthy roles on shows like "General Hospital" and "Supernatural."
The actress finally received her big break in 2009 when she was cast as Renee in Cassar's enduring television series "24", catapulting her to television stardom.
She would later grace a number of other notable shows with guest appearances, including "CSI", "Blue Bloods", and 2013's "Dallas" remake, prior to taking on more significant long-term parts in programs like "Castle" and "The Vampire Diaries"
Then, in 2013, Wersching was cast in yet another iconic role that cemented her legacy as a cult figure – lending the voice of Tess in the popular video game "The Last of Us". Since then, a TV series based on the game has been produced, starring Pedro Pascal.
