Mira Furlan, 'Lost' and 'Babylon 5' actress, dies of West Nile Virus complications at 65
Jenna Ryu USA TODAY
Published 1:29 p.m. ET Jan. 22, 2021 | Update 1:38 p.m. Jan. 22, 2021
Chris Weeks, Getty Images for Hollywood Film
Mira Furlan, famed for her roles in "Lost" and "Babylon 5," died Wednesday at 65.
Her manager Chris Roe confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY Furlan died "following complications from West Nile Virus."
"It is with great sadness that I confirm the passing of Mira Furlan," he wrote. "She was a woman full of kindness, strength and compassion. … She died peacefully at her home in Los Angeles, surrounded by her family. We will all continue to celebrate her life and legacy, and know she’ll always be here with us."
Furlan's talent agent Steven Neibert remembered her as a "compassionate and giving person."
"Not only was she so talented but was down-to-earth and real which isn’t always the norm in our business. The Imperium 7 Talent Agency family will miss her dearly and our thoughts and prayers are with her family," Neibert wrote in an email.
“Babylon 5” creator J. Michael Straczynski took to Twitter toshare a lengthy tribute on Thursday.
"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," Straczynski wrote.
"Mira was a good and kind woman, a stunningly talented performer, and a friend to everyone in the cast and crew of Babylon 5, and we are all devastated by the news. The cast members with whom she was especially close since the show’s end will need room to process this moment, so please be gentle if they are unresponsive for a time. We have been down this road too often, and it only gets harder.”
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Born in the former Yugoslavia, Furlan emigrated to the U.S. in 1991. She went on to star as Ambassador Delenn in 1993's "Babylon 5" for all five seasons, and landed the role of Danielle Rousseau in the ABC drama series "Lost" from 2004 to 2010.
Her other notable credits include "My Antonia" (1995) and the Oscar-nominated Yugoslavian film "When Father Was Away on Business" (2000), and she guest starred in a Season 6 episode of "NCIS" as Dina Risi in 2009.
She is survived by her husband, Goran Gajic, and their son, Marko.
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