Broadway Mourns Rising Star Laurel Griggs, 13, After Her Death: 'We Will Never Stop Loving You'
Broadway is paying tribute to one of their own after the heartbreaking death of rising star Laurel Griggs. She was 13.
Griggs’ family confirmed she died on Nov. 5 in New York City after suffering a “massive asthma attack,” according to Page Six. The teenager was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, her grandfather, David B. Rivlin, told the outlet. Doctors were unable to revive her.
Griggs made her Broadway debut at age 6 as Polly in Rob Ashford’s production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in 2013, opposite Scarlett Johansson, according to her IMDb page.
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She is best known for her role as Ivanka in the Tony Award-winning musical Once. She performed the role for 17 months between 2013 and 2015.
Actress Eliza Holland Madore, who also played Ivanka in Once, paid tribute to Griggs on Instagram. “I am deeply saddened by the sudden loss of one of my Ivanka sisters. Laurel- you were always smiling and always made other people laugh,” Madore wrote. “I’m so incredibly grateful that I got to know you. You will never be forgotten, and we will never stop loving you. Everybody in the Once Family is going to keep you alive through us. R.I.P. My heart goes to her family.”
The website Young Broadway Actors News also shared a tribute to the actress, including a brief summary of her time on the Great White Way.
“We are saddened to report the passing of Laurel Griggs (Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Once) at the age of 13. Laurel was a brilliant young lady whose impact in the lives of everyone she met went far beyond her immense talent. Her wisdom and kindness were gifts to the theatre community during her time on Earth,” a post on the site read.
The Once musical Facebook page later shared the site’s post, adding their own message to the Griggs family.
“This beautiful young lady was part of our Once family. Please keep her family in your prayers,” the post read.
Outside of Broadway, Griggs appeared in the 2016 romantic comedy Cafe Society alongside Steve Carell, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart. She was also featured in several episodes of Saturday Night Live.
