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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Louise Randell & Will Twigger

Tawny Kitaen dead: Actress and music video star dies aged 59

Actress Tawny Kitaen has died at the age of 59, according to TMZ.com.

The former child star is said to have passed away in Newport Beach, California on Friday.

The website reports a cause of death has yet to be determined by the coroner.

Tawny starred in The Perils of Gwendoline, After Midnight and Bachelor Party, in which she starred as Tom Hanks' character's girlfriend.

She first ventured into showbiz as a teenager, starting out on game show To Tell the Truth in 1976.

In more recent years, she ventured into the realm of reality TV, with appearances on shows including The Surreal Life, Botched, and Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew.

Tawny Kitaen has died aged 59 (E!)

Tawny later landed a series of music video roles including Whitesnake's Is This Love and Here I Go Again - and she went on to marry the band's lead singer David Coverdale in 1989.

However, the marriage only lasted two years, and they were separated in 1991.

She also went on to marry baseball star Chuck Finley, with whom she had two daughters, Wynter Merin Finley, 28, and Raine Finley, 22.

Tributes have been paid to Tawny after reports emerged of her death (Matt Baron/BEI/REX/Shutterstock)

Tawny and Chuck were married in 1997, but went their separate ways in 2002.

Tawny had struggled with substance abuse, which she recalled during her time on Celebrity Rehab.

She also had some run-ins with the law, including a charge for cocaine possession in 2006, and another for driving under the influence in 2009.

She's been branded 'a true 80s icon' (Mulloway/Rumar/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)

Tawny's last tweet was May 6 2021, in which she thanked a fan for a drawing.

Tributes have been penned in her honour since reports of her death emerged, with one writing that "we've lost an angel."

"R.I.P. @Tawny_Kitaen a true 80s Icon," another wrote.

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