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Helen McCrory, “Harry Potter” And “Peaky Blinders” Actress, Dies Aged 52

By Michael Bamidele

16 April 2021   |   5:58 pm

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Helen McCrory, the English actor who played Narcissa Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” franchise and Polly Gray in “Peaky Blinders,” has died. She was 52. McMcrory died after a "heroic battle with cancer", her husband Damian Lewis announced on Friday. “I’m heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty…

Helen McCrory | Image: CARYN MANDABACH PRODUCTIONS LTD. 2019

Helen McCrory, the English actor who played Narcissa Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” franchise and Polly Gray in “Peaky Blinders,” has died. She was 52.

McMcrory died after a “heroic battle with cancer”, her husband Damian Lewis announced on Friday.

“I’m heartbroken to announce that after a heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you,” Lewis wrote on Twitter.

McMcrory appeared in the final three “Harry Potter” films as Narcissa Malfoy, the mother of Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) and wife to Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs). In “Peaky Blinders,” she played Polly Gray, aunt of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and the treasurer of the Peaky Blinders crime family in all five seasons of the British drama.

Her other roles include Françoise in the film Charlotte Gray, Mama Jeanne in Martin Scorsese’s family film Hugo, Clair Dowar in the James Bond film Skyfall, Emma Banville in Fearless and Kathryn Villiers in MotherFatherSon.

During her career, McCrory picked up several awards, like best actress at the London Film Critics Circle, the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards, the Critics’ Circle Theater Awards and theater actress of the year at the Glamour Awards. She was nominated for a Critics Choice Television Award and a Satellite Award for best supporting actress in a drama for “Penny Dreadful.” For her role in “Macbeth” in 1995, she was named most promising newcomer at the Shakespeare Globe Awards.

“Harry Potter” writer J.K. Rowling wrote on Twitter that she was “devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory”, whom she described as “an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who’s left us far too soon”.

I’m devastated to learn of the death of Helen McCrory, an extraordinary actress and a wonderful woman who’s left us far too soon. My deepest condolences to her family, especially her husband and children. Simply heartbreaking news.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 16, 2021

Helen McCrory as Polly Gray

All our love and thoughts are with Helen’s family.

Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/HBEg4Hz2Up

— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) April 16, 2021