English Actress Dame Diana Rigg Passed Away at the age of 82. The cause of death was not revealed. Dame Diana Rigg’s agent told BBC, “She died peacefully early this morning. She was at home with her family who has asked for privacy at this difficult time.” Dame Diana Rigg, known to the young generation for playing the role of Olenna Tyrell in HBO’s Game of Thrones, rose to fame by playing Emma Peel in the 1960s British espionage TV series The Avengers.
Rachael Stirling said in a statement, “My Beloved Ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family. “She died of cancer diagnosed in March and spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter, and deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words.”
Her work in the series got her the role of the main Bond girl Tracy di Vicenzo in the movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, opposite none other than Sean Connery. Her character was the first one to marry Connery’s fictional spy.
Dame Diana Rigg played the role of House Tyrell matriarch Olenna Tyrell in the epic fantasy series Game of Thrones. Her character, the last head of House Tyrell, was loved by fans and critics. Olleana Tyrell, nicknamed as The Queen of Thorns, was adored by fans for her quick wit. Her dialogue ‘Tell Cersei it was me’, after poisoning her son Joffrey Baratheon at the Purple Wedding, went viral.
As Olenna, the matriarch of House Tyrell, she won the love of Game of Thrones fans by embodying the sharp-tongued character with an acerbic wit that seemingly came naturally to her. Her performance won her fans who did not know the old Diana, the one who had married James Bond and played the catsuit-clad lithe spy in The Avengers.
Actress Dame Diana Rigg Passed Away at 82
A tweet by the official handle of Game of Thrones, paying a tribute to Diana Rigg, read, “Be a dragon. The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.”
Be a dragon.
The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.— Game of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) September 10, 2020
“We are very sad to hear of the passing of Dame Diana Rigg, the legendary stage and screen actress who was much beloved by Bond fans for her memorable performance as Tracy di Vicenzo in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the only woman to have married James Bond.” pic.twitter.com/nqQCSg35oM
— James Bond (@007) September 10, 2020
Speaking about her young fans, Diana Rigg told Entertainment Weekly last year, “Obviously, it’s great that has happened, and great it was a young audience — terrific. That’s the nature of my profession. The young, I don’t expect them to know about my past, but if, through Game of Thrones, they discover me, that’s good.”
