Shonka Dukureh played blues legend Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in Elvis (2022)
Shonka Dukurehsinger and actress who played the blues legend Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in Elvis (2022), died at the age of 44, according to information from the Rolling Stone USA. The cause of death has not been revealed so far.
The artist was found dead in her Nashville apartment last Thursday, the 21st, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The police department confirmed on Twitter that “no ill intent is evident,” and added how the actress shared the home with her two young children.
dukureh was raised in Charlotte and moved to Nashville to attend Fisk University, where he studied theater. She was a self-taught singer who opened for Jamie Liddell and the Royal Pharaohsand worked with artists such as Nick Cave, Mike Farris, Pete Rock and Smoke Dza.
The singer and actress was acclaimed for her performance as Thornton in Elvis, biopic released on July 14, 2022 in Brazilian cinemas. “A special light went out today and the entire film family of Elvis is heartbroken by the loss of Shonka Dukureh,” wrote the director Baz Luhrmann on Instagram.
“From the moment she came into our world, Shonka brought joy, spirit and of course her voice and music. Whenever she was on set, on stage or even in the living room, everyone always felt excited,” she continued.Shonka was just starting to find a wider audience for her tremendous talent, and I could see her raising crowds of people in the Coachella and beyond.”
See this photo on InstagramA post shared by Baz Luhrmann (@bazluhrmann)
a favorite word from Shonkain everyday usage, was ‘blessings’, and I, with the entire cast of Elvismusical staff and collaborators, I feel truly blessed to have had time with her.
Source: Rollingstone
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
