Andrea Evans, adored by fans for her iconic roles in several beloved series, has passed away at the age of 66 after a battle with breast cancer, according to official confirmations.
The beloved soap opera actress soared to fame playing the role of the fiery Tina Lord on ABC's classic soap One Life to Live. Her powerful portrayal of the character earned her the title of 'Daytime's Diva of Dirt' by People.
The revered actress graced the screens with her character from 1979 to 1981 and reprised her role from 1985 to 1990. However, the character's popularity inadvertently led to unwanted attention from a stalker, prompting Evans to exit the series.
Known for her versatility, Evans also played Rebecca Hotchkiss on NBC/DirecTV's Passions. Confirming her passing, casting director Don Carroll told The Hollywood Reporter that the actress died peacefully at her home in Pasadena, California on Sunday.
The actress also made her mark on The Young and the Restless, where she portrayed Patty Williams from 1983 to 1984, proving her mettle as a quintessential soap star. Her acting prowess garnered her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1990, just three years after her return to One Life to Live.
However, the actress's encounter with a stalker in the lobby of the soap's studio in Manhattan in 1987 led to her abrupt departure from the show and a retreat from her career. The stalker escalated his threats to violent levels, even reportedly inflicting self-harm outside the studio to capture Evans' attention. After he was committed to a psychiatric facility, he allegedly listed Evans as his next of kin and sent her chilling death threats written in blood.
The traumatic experience deeply affected Evans, who gradually returned to acting but refrained from public appearances. "It forever changed me," she confessed in a 2008 People interview, "There's no way it could not."
Evans stepped back into the spotlight to reprise her role on One Life to Live for guest appearances in 2008 and 2011. "It's time to give the audience what they want," she stated during her return, "And it's time for me to get closure on why I left in the first place."
She earned her second Daytime Emmy nomination in 2015 for her brilliant performance as Vivian Price in the web series DeVanity. Her acting journey continued with appearances in Passions from 2000 to 2008 and more recently as Patty and Gillian Walker in The Bay from 2017 to 2020.
Evans showcased her talent in film as well, starring in 1994's A Low Down Dirty Shame, 1995's Ice Cream Man, and the 2011 action-thriller Hit List. Just prior to her passing, she finished writing her memoir, titled My One Life to Live.
Andrea Evans is survived by her husband, Steve Rodriguez, whom she married in 1998, and their 19-year-old daughter, Kylie. She was previously married to her One Life to Live co-star, Wayne Massey from 1981 to 1983.
