Many younger fans know Mona Hammond best for her portrayal of the Jackson family matriarch Blossom in EastEnders, but she was a distinguished stage and screen star and one of the first women of color to portray Lady Macbeth.
The 91-year-old actress Mona Hammond, best known for her roles in EastEnders and Desmond’s, has passed away.
Her agent confirmed that the Jamaican-British actress passed away peacefully in the early hours of Monday morning.
In 2005, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama in recognition of her seven-decade career on stage and screen.
Blossom Jackson in EastEnders was, for many, Hammond’s defining role; it brought her into millions of homes several times a week.
She portrayed the matriarch of the Jackson family from 1994 to 1997, returning briefly in October 2010 to attend the funeral of her on-screen great-grandson Billie Jackson.
EastEnders said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the news of Mona Hammond’s passing.
“Mona portrayed Blossom Jackson as a no-nonsense grandmother who was adored by the audience and her coworkers. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mona’s loved ones.”
Hammond also won the hearts of many with her portrayal of Auntie Susu in the groundbreaking sitcom Desmond’s and the spin-off series Porkpie.
With a predominantly black cast and crew, the barber shop comedy became one of the longest-running sitcoms on Channel 4 in terms of episode count.
Her numerous other television roles included appearances on Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Casualty, The Sweeney, Chef! starring Lenny Henry, the children’s television series Pig-Heart Boy, based on a novel by Malorie Blackman, and White Teeth, the adaptation of Zadie Smith’s first novel.
One of her final roles was in the Lennie James and Olivia Colman-starring Channel 4 drama Run.
Her filmography includes the 2006 musical comedy Kinky Boots and the 2008 action film 10,000 BC, both of which were directed by Roland Emmerich.
Fans, friends, and fellow performers were quick to pay tribute to the star, with RADA chair Marcus Ryder confirming the news on social media: “I awaken with sadness to the news that Mona Hammond has passed away.
“In 1985, among her many accomplishments, she co-founded Talawa Theatre Company. She also graduated from @RADA London in 2019 and was awarded an honorary RADA Fellowship.
Michelle Gayle, a former EastEnders actress, and the pop star have written: “A trailblazer. A Queen.”
Kathy Burke, an actress, and comedian wrote: “I’m so fortunate to have seen Mona in numerous 1980s and early 1990s stage productions. Her brilliant comic timing made her a perennial crowd favorite, and she could raise the roof with it. Rest in peace, mighty Mona.”
Meera Syal, a fellow comedian, and actress replied: “I had the privilege of sharing the stage with her in a production of Blood Wedding; she is a phenomenal actress and person. Rest In Power.”
Cherrelle Skeete, who appeared in the stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, penned the following: “Due to her, we can. We know you moved mountains “.
The playwright Roy Williams tweeted simply, “We are here because she was there.”
Danny John-Jules, star of Red Dwarf, praised the actress and those who helped care for her during her “Final Curtain.”
Mavis Chin Hammond was born in Jamaica on January 1, 1931, to a Jamaican mother and a Chinese father.
Moving to the United Kingdom in 1959 at the age of 28 on a Jamaican Scholarship, she initially worked for a firm of architects in London by day and attended City Lit in the evenings.
Hammond was awarded a scholarship to RADA in 1961, allowing her to pursue her dream of performing and graduate in 1964. She devoted the remainder of her life to acting professionally.
Beginning her career on the stage, Hammond’s first leading role as Lady Macbeth in Peter Coe’s African adaptation of the play at the Roundhouse in 1970. She subsequently spent two years performing at the National Theatre.
In 1986, Hammond co-founded Talawa Theatre, an organization that championed British black actors.
Talawa is one of the most prominent black theatre companies in the United Kingdom, and its name is derived from a Jamaican patois word that translates to “brave and strong.”
Matthew is the only child of the once-married Hammond.
