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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Adam White

Mira Furlan death: Lost and Babylon 5 actor dies at 65

Photograph: Touchstone/Abc/Kobal/REX

Lost and Babylon 5 actor Mira Furlan has died at the age of 65.

The Croation actor’s death was confirmed by her official Twitter account, and subsequently by the Babylon 5 creator J Michael Straczynski. Furlan’s cause of death remains unknown.

On Furlan’s Twitter, a post announced her death alongside a quote from the actor herself. “I am not afraid,” the quote reads. “Let me close my eyes and sense the beauty around me. And take that breath under the dark sky full of stars. Breathe in. Breathe out. That’s all.”

In his own tweet, Straczynski described Furlan as a “good and kind woman, a stunningly talented performer, and a friend to everyone in the cast and crew of Babylon 5”.

He added: “We’ve known for some time now that Mira’s health was failing... I’m not sure that this is the right time or place to discuss the sheer randomness of what happened... and have all been dreading this day. We kept hoping that she would improve. In a group email sent to the cast a while back, I heard she might be improving.”

He said that he had received a call from Furlan’s Babylon 5 co-star Peter Jurasik, who had been told that Furlan’s husband, filmmaker Goran Gajić, was “bringing her home”.

Furlan was best known for her role as Delenn, the Minbari ambassador to the space station Babylon 5. In 2004, she joined the cast of Lost as Danielle Rousseau, a French scientist left marooned on the show’s mysterious island following a shipwreck. She played the character for three seasons before departing.

Furlan also voiced the comic book character Silver Sable on the 1990’s Spider-Man animated series.

After making her name on the Croatian stage, Furlan emigrated to New York in 1991. Along with her two major roles on US television, she appeared in films including 2008’s The Tour and 2012’s Twice Born, starring Penelope Cruz.

Furlan as the alien ambassador Delenn in Babylon 5 (Rex Features)

Furlan’s last credited acting role was an appearance on the children’s fantasy series Just Add Magic in 2020. She was also attached to the web series Space Command, which is currently in production, but it is unclear whether she had yet filmed her scenes.

Furlan is survived by her husband and their son, Marko Lav Gajić.

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