Update: Sadly, following a truly bizarre turn of events, Bond Girl and That '70s Show actress Tanya Roberts passed away on Monday night at L.A.'s Cedars Sinai Hospital. The news comes after her domestic partner, Lance O'Brien, incorrectly told her rep that she had died the day before. "TMZ" reports that O'Brien got a call from one of Tanya's doctors Monday night, just after 9:00 PM, telling him that the actress had passed. Our condolences go out to Tanya Roberts' family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
Update: According to TMZ, Tanya Roberts has not died, despite her representative Mike Pingel sending out a press-release with that information yesterday that even included a quote from Tanya's husband. The outlet now says that Roberts' rep later got a call from the hospital saying that the actress was still alive and that he "truly believed Tanya had died." While speaking with THR, Pingel said, "I did get confirmation [of her death], but that was from a very distraught person [Roberts' boyfriend, Lance O'Brien]. And so yes, this morning at 10 a.m. … the hospital did call to say that she was still alive but it's not looking good. We will hopefully have information [soon]. It's upsetting."
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Tanya Roberts, an actress who was a one-time Bond Girl and featured in a prominent role on the sitcom That '70s Show, has sadly passed away at the age of 65.
"TMZ" was the first to report the news of Roberts' passing with her rep telling that site that the cult classic '80s star went on a walk with her dogs on Christmas Eve and upon her return home, she collapsed. Roberts was taken to a nearby hospital and was put on a ventilator but unfortunately, her condition never improved. Roberts passed on Sunday but her rep indicates that her passing was NOT COVID-related. According to her rep, in the days leading up to her collapse, Tanya appeared perfectly healthy and even did a few video chats for her fans.
Tanya Roberts was an iconic and go-to model and actress during her prime. Roberts played Bond Girl Stacey Sutton in A View To a Kill opposite Roger Moore and she was also a mainstay in campy adventure films like Sheena and The Beastmaster. Fans of other campy material may also remember her from films like Sins of Desire, Legal Tender, Deep Down, Night Eyes, and Tourist Trap. Roberts has 41 acting credits to her name that date back to the '70s.
Due to Roberts' popularity beginning in the '70s, it made her the perfect addition to the hit sitcom, That '70s Show. Roberts played Donna Pinciotti's (Laura Prepon) mom, Midge, and she was always being comically ogled by all of the boys in the neighborhood. Tanya played up dumb-blonde stereotypes on the show and it's a role that made her a fan-favorite with a brand new audience who may not have been familiar with her earlier work.
Tanya Roberts was also featured on the final season of Charlie's Angels as Julie Rogers, a side character who helped the Angels solve crimes. The actress also helped launch the TV series, Mike Hammer, after starring as a secretary in the made-for-TV-movie but she declined a role in the show that followed. In addition to being an actress, Roberts was a successful model, having posed in "Playboy", as well as for a plethora of TV commercials. Roberts was featured in ads for Excedrin, Ultra Brite, Clairol, and Cool Ray sunglasses.
Roberts was married to Barry Roberts for several years before he passed away in 2006. Tanya is survived by her current husband, Lance, and her sister Barbara Chase. Our condolences go out to her family, friends, and fans at this time, and may the mark that she made in pop culture continue to live on through the work that she left behind.
R.I.P.