Irish actress Slaine Kelly, best known for her role as Jane Howard in the historical drama The Tudors, has died at the age of 43 following a battle with cancer. Her family confirmed that she passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones.
Family Confirms Passing
A notice on the obituary site RIP.ie read: "Slaine Kelly ... passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family. Beloved daughter of Marion and Joe Kelly. Cherished mother of Knox, much-loved sister of Darragh and sister-in-law of Mags and adored aunt of Eliza." The tribute added: "Slaine will be deeply missed by her parents, son, brother, sister-in-law, niece, her many cousins, extended family, friends, and all who knew and loved her. An actress, film producer, Slaine will be fondly remembered for her work, her spirit, and for helping to found St Anne's City Farm."
Tributes from Friends and Colleagues
Although the family notice did not specify the cause of death, friend and Shameless star Paddy C Courtney said her life was "stolen by cancer." Alongside a black-and-white photo of Kelly, he wrote: "This is just s***. Slaine Kelly will forever be remembered as an amazing woman, mother, daughter, sister, cousin, niece and friend to so many humans and animals alike. Her life was stolen by cancer, but her spirit of giddy curiosity and divilment will live on in all those who knew her. I was lucky enough to circle her orbit in many roles as pal, co-star and confidant. Thank you for the laughs. Rest well, gorgeous soul."
Model and singer Michelle McGrath also paid tribute, sharing a series of photos with the caption: "It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful friend, Slaine. Magic, magnetic, and truly one of the most beautiful souls you could ever meet. Wherever she went, people were drawn to her, and everyone wanted to speak to her. She had this incredible aura and way of making every person feel seen, special, and at ease in her company. Warm, charismatic and endlessly fun. She was kind, loving, caring, and a ray of light to all that crossed her path. You are so deeply loved and so, so special, Slaine. Thank you for all the love, friendship, laughter, tears, and guidance you gave me throughout this life. Rest in peace, my dear friend, you're forever in my heart."
A third friend commented: "Saddened to hear of the passing of Slaine Kelly. I had the pleasure of working with her on my film Jack's Hat many years ago, and later co-produced another short film in which she played the lead. She was a talented actress and always friendly, approachable and a pleasure to work with. My thoughts are with her family and friends. RIP." A fourth added: "Sad news this weekend on the untimely passing of actor and producer Slaine Kelly. She was a stalwart in the acting industry both here and in London. Her enthusiasm for the acting profession and film industry was boundless. Gone too soon. My condolences to her young son, family and friends across the world."
Career Highlights
In The Tudors, Slaine played Jane Howard, an ex-lover of King Henry VIII and a cousin to his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. She also played Una Blake in the Prime Video show The O'Briens, which she also produced. Additionally, she won acclaim for her role as Lucy in Rise of the Footsoldier II. For many, she was also known for acting in an iconic Barry's Tea commercial, filmed in Ireland and Thailand and directed by BAFTA-winning director Declan Lowney.
