Hollywood took a massive hit on Sunday! Erica Ash, loved for her roles in the satirical reality show ‘Real Husbands of Hollywood’ and on the Fox sketch comedy show ‘Mad TV’, passed away at the age of 46 in Los Angeles. In a statement to The Times, her family revealed that following a prolonged and tedious battle with cancer, Ash “transitioned peacefully surrounded by her loved ones”. And now, two-time Olympics gold medalist and recently crowned WBC heavyweight champion, Claressa Shields has shared a couple of words to pay her condolences. 

Announcing the passing of her daughter, Erica’s mother Diann Ash emphasized the family is deeply saddened at the sudden demise of “our beloved daughter, sister, and friend Erica Chantal Ash”. Diann described the actress as an “amazing woman and talented entertainer,” noting that Erica touched countless lives with her sharp wit, humor, and genuine zest for life, a sentiment shared by Claressa Shields. 

Claressa Shields’ two-word parting message

A couple of days after the story broke on the internet, Shields hopped on X and while responding to the unfortunate news, wrote, “RIP Erica”. Interestingly, Ash started her career with her onstage appearance in Broadway’s ‘Baby It’s You’ and also toured the production of ‘The Lion King’. But it might come as a surprise that despite her success, she never intended to join the entertainment industry. 

In fact, the actress graduated from Emory University, studying medicine, yet her destiny lay somewhere else. So, Ash took a break because she didn’t feel fulfilled and tried to figure things out for herself. She even took a trip to the land of the rising sun, where she found a singing gig during her first week there. Apart from that, she seems to have dabbled in a bit of modeling and ringside announcing. 

Her time in Japan paid off big time after she landed her first movie in the country and was able to pay off her student loan. Acting wasn’t the end of her journey into entertainment, as she dipped her feet into stand-up comedy. But she shifted gears again, recognizing she was, “an onstage and on-camera actress” and stand-up really wasn’t her thing. And so began her climb to the top! 

The journey that defined Erica Ash

Some half a decade after the Y2K era, Ash found her big break with ‘The Big Gay Sketch Show’ in 2006 and ‘Mad TV’ in 2008. Then, in 2013, the ‘Scary Movie V’, a comedic take on the horror genre, saw Ash playing Kendra Brooks. Things started to look up for the Los Angeles native, and she landed the role of Bridgette Hart on ‘Real Husbands of Hollywood’, which aired from 2013 to 2016 on BET featuring Kevin Hart. 

After her passing, BET posted on Instagram while describing the actress as “equal parts witty and funny”, and added, “We send our deepest condolences and love to her parents, siblings, friends, and family. Fly high Queen”. Regardless, this was just the beginning! Ash went on to play M-Chunk in ‘Survivor’s Remorse’, which aired from 2014 to 2017.

Her other notable appearances included ‘Shades of Blue’ and ‘Legacies’ on CW. Erica Ash might not be among the living anymore, but she will stay alive in her works throughout the years as she continues to entertain her fans like Claressa Shields across the globe.