(CelebrityAccess) – Beloved actress, comedian, American icon and BFF to Ryan Reynolds has passed away at 99 years young. TMZ reports that White passed just before 9:30 am this morning.
Born in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park in 1922, her career has spanned 8 decades. White has starred in numerous TV shows, dating all the way back to 1939. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of ditzy blonde, Rose Nylund in the hit series, “The Golden Girls.” Her role on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show ” was her breakout role and ran from 1973-1977. She’s also made appearances in shows such as: “The Love Boat”, “Hot in Cleveland”, “Ladies Man”, “Date with Angels”, “That 70’s Show” and soap opera “The Bold & the Beautiful”, among many others.
She’s won five primetime Emmy awards, a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) award, American Comedy Awards and even a Grammy in the Best Spoken Word category for her reading of her book, “If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won’t). It beat out Tina Fey’s “Bossypants, Val Kilmer and the reading of “Fab Fan Memories – The Beatles Bond.”
In the announcement of her passing, numerous celebrities, entertainers and friends have paid tribute to the icon over social media.
Ellen DeGeneres posted via her Twitter account, “What an exceptional life. I’m grateful for every second I got to spend with Betty White. Sending love to her family, friends and all of us.”
George Takei’s twitter tribute, “Our national treasure, Betty White, has passed just before her 100th birthday. Our Sue Ann Nivens, our beloved Rose Nylund, has joined the heavens to delight the starts with her inimitable style, humor, and charm. A great loss to us all. We shall miss her dearly.”
A fan on Twitter summed it up the best, “Betty White passing away hurts. May our Golden Girl rest in eternal peace.”
White was just about to celebrate her milestone 100th birthday on January 17. In a statement to People, her longtime agent and close friend Jeff Witjas said, “Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever.” I believe within American pop culture, we all did.
RIP.
