Diana Rigg: R.I.P.

From BBC News:

Actress Dame Diana Rigg, famous for roles including Emma Peel in TV series The Avengers

and Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones, has died at the age of 82.

Her daughter, actress Rachael Stirling, said she died of cancer, after being diagnosed in March. "She spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession," she added.

Dame Diana also played the only woman who became Mrs James Bond. She played Tracy in 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Her more recent roles included the Duchess of Buccleuch in ITV's Victoria and Mrs Pumphrey in Channel 5's new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small.

Stirling went on to say: "My Beloved Ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family. I will miss her beyond words." 

Sir Tom Stoppard added: "For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper. She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous." 'She swept all before her' 

Fellow playwright Sir David Hare said the actress had a "dazzling change of direction in middle age as a great classical actor". He said: "When Emma Peel played Euripides' Medea, Albee's Martha and Brecht's Mother Courage she swept all before her." Her four Tony Awards nominations resulted in a win for her searing portrayal in the leading role in the stage play Medea in 1994.

In 1990, Dame Diana won a best actress Bafta TV award for playing a difficult mother-in-law in Mother Love. She also won a Bafta special award in 2000 for The Avengers, shared with the series' other stars Honor Blackman, Joanna Lumley and Linda Thorson. Dame Diana was also nominated for nine primetime Emmy awards, winning for her role as Mrs Danvers in Rebecca in 1997.