Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of the "true children of film," referring to personally-talented and genealogy-blessed film and stage actress Natasha Richardson.
45-year-old Natasha was officially announced dead on March 18, 2009 after being in coma for three days due to a head injury. The Monday before, the actress had a critical fall while having a private ski lesson in Mont Tremblant Ski Report in Quebec, Canada on March 16, 2009. She was hospitalized in Montreal and was flown back the following day to New York City and was admitted straight to the Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
The news of Natasha's death was relayed to the media by the publicist of actor Liam Neeson, Natasha's husband.
Reports said that the actress had a fall on the ski's beginner's trail, where ski patrol officers even helped her return to the bottom of the slope and back to the hotel. An hour later, she complained of severe headache. An ambulance brought her to the Centre Hospitalier Laurentien, and she was later transferred to Hopital du Sacre-Coeur in Montreal. Husband Liam was shooting for the film "Chloe" in Toronto at the time of the accident and immediately flew to her wife's side after being informed of the accident.
Natasha descended from a Hollywood royalty family, being the daughter of multi-awarded actress Vanessa Redgrave and the late Hollywood director Tony Richardson. Her friends and family remembered her as a talented and beautiful woman – a tall blond beauty with a bright smile and a hearty laugh.
Natasha's death is a huge loss for the film industry, where she contributed her beauty, grace and talent to some 40 memorable films. She made her first movie at age 4, in “The Charge of the Light Brigade” which was directed by her father. As an adult, Natasha earned raves for her lead portrayal in "Patty Hearst" shown in 1988, and in her Tony award-winning performance in “Cabaret”. Her other noteworthy performances included playing Blance Dubois in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and as a concubine in "The Handmaid's Tale."
Natasha is survived by her husband Liam, two sons Michael and Daniel, mother Vanessa, sister Joely and close relatives and friends, who requested prayers for her and privacy for the family in the midst of the tragedy.
