Eva Mottley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Eva Henderson Mottley (1953-10-24)24 October 1953 Barbados |
| Died | 14 February 1985(1985-02-14) (aged 31) Maida Vale, London, England |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Relatives | Mia Mottley (cousin) Ernest Deighton Mottley (grandfather) |
Eva Henderson Mottley (24 October 1953 – 14 February 1985) was aBarbadian-born British actress. She played Bella O'Reilly in thetelevision dramaWidows, and Corinne Tulser, wife ofDenzil Tulser, inOnly Fools and Horses.
Mottley was born into a family of politicians in Barbados in 1953. Her grandfather,Ernest Mottley, was the first mayor ofBridgetown,[1] while her cousin,Mia Mottley, was electedPrime Minister of Barbados in 2018. She was raised in Nigeria and England.
After serving 15 months in prison for possession ofLSD, Mottley embarked on an acting career.[2]
Mottley appeared in the television drama seriesWidows, and was scheduled to appear in its sequel. However, shortly before her death in 1985, she left the production ofWidows 2, claiming that she had been racially and sexually abused by the production team.[2]Widows 2 was broadcast nearly two months later, withDebby Bishop in the role of Bella. Mottley's film credits includedScrubbers and a small role inSuperman III.
She had made other TV appearances, including inBergerac and a guest role on thesitcomOnly Fools and Horses, in the episode "Who's a Pretty Boy?" as Corinne, the sharp-tongued wife of regular character Denzil. The character was originally set to appear in more episodes, but due to Mottley's death,John Sullivan chose not to recast the role out of respect to Mottley. Her character, Corinne, later separated from Denzil.
Mottley had a two-year relationship with musicianDavid Bowie.[3]
In the months leading up to her death, Mottley became depressed about losing her job and developed an addiction tococaine and alcohol. Her addiction led to debts of £25,000 (equivalent to £101,000 in 2023). OnValentine's Day 1985, Mottley’s body was found in her Shirland Road flat inMaida Vale,west London. She had committed suicide by overdosing on alcohol and barbiturates. She was 31-years-old. She left one suicide note to her parents and another that was only partially legible.[2]
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