LOS ANGELES — Erica Ash, an actor and comedian known for her sketch comedy and appearances on parody shows “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died at the age of 46.
Ash died of cancer on Sunday in Los Angeles, according to a statement from her publicist and her mother, Deanne. “Erica was an incredible woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit, humor and pure passion for life. Her memory will live forever in our hearts,” the statement said.
Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleezza Rice on the Fox sketch series Mad TV and was a featured star on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series The Big Gay Sketch Show. Her other credits include Scary Movie, Uncle Drew and the LeBron James-produced basketball drama Survivor’s Remorse.
In the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character, and told the Los Angeles Times in 2017 that for a while, the roles she was offered were similar to the character, but she wanted a more diverse career.
“When I grow up, I want to make choices based on what I want to read about myself. To me, it’s just about growing up and moving forward,” she told The Times.
She appeared on Broadway in “Baby It’s You” and in the touring production of “The Lion King.”
Ash attended Emory University to study medicine, but took a leave of absence to go to Japan, where her career blossomed as an actor and model.
“One thing led to another and I tell people I’m the Forrest Gump of my field. I just blindly walked through life by faith and said ‘yes’ to what was presented to me and that’s what got me here,” Ash told The Times.
