British Actor Sylvia Syms Has Died at 89 — What Was Her Cause of Death?
Jan. 27 2023, Published 2:50 p.m. ET
Veteran British actor Sylvia Syms, whose career in the entertainment industry spans six decades, has died at the age of 89. She first rose to fame in the film Ice Cold in Alex in 1958 and was eventually nominated for a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award for her work in The Tamarind Seed.
Sadly, a statement from her children on Jan. 27, 2023, confirms she has died. What was Sylvia Syms's cause of death? Here's everything you need to know.
What was Sylvia Syms's cause of death?
On Jan. 27, 2023, BBC News reported a statement from Sylvia's children, Beatie and Ben Edney, confirming her death. "She has lived an amazing life and gave us joy and laughter right up to the end. Just yesterday we were reminiscing together about all our adventures. She will be so very missed," it reads.
They also thanked the staff at Denville Hall, a care home where Sylvia was residing, for "the truly excellent care they have taken of our Mum over the past year."
Currently, Sylvia's cause of death has not been made known to the public.
Sylvia was born in London in 1934 and separated from her mother at a young age during the evacuation. BBC News recounts Sylvia speaking of the trauma she experienced being separated from her mother, who later died of a brain tumor when she was 12.
"Sending me away from home gave me the impression I was not loved, which was unfair but it's the truth," she said. "It's why I became a performer and never stopped working."
Unfortunately, Sylvia's troubles did catch up with her. At 16, she suffered a nervous breakdown that would have been the end of her career if not for her stepmother, who suggested psychotherapy. Sylvia then continued to attend The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Throughout the years, Sylvia has held many roles, including portraying British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the TV film Thatcher: The Final Days in 1991 and reprising her role in the stage version of the film. She starred in the ITV series At Home With the Braithwaites from 2000-2003 and co-starred alongside Helen Mirren in the 2006 film The Queen, where she played The Queen Mother.
Most recently, Sylvia appeared in the 2019 HBO series Gentleman Jack as Mrs. Rawson. She is survived by her two children, who are both actors as well. Sylvia's late husband, Alan Edney, died in 1989.
