Georgina Cates, An Awfully Big Adventure actress, dies at 51

British actress Georgina Cates, best known for her roles in An Awfully Big Adventure and Clay Pigeons, has died aged 51. Her death occurred on May 6, according to an Instagram tribute shared by her daughter, Naiia, although the news was not widely reported until recently.

Naiia remembered her mother as beautiful and free-spirited, praising her creativity, curiosity and courage to remain true to herself. Further details surrounding Cates’ death have not been disclosed.

Born Clare Elaine Woodgate on April 4, 1975, in Colchester, Essex, England, Cates began her acting career under her birth name. She first gained recognition playing Jenny Porter in the BBC sitcom 2point4 Children during its first two seasons from 1991 to 1992.

Her breakthrough came with Mike Newell’s 1995 coming-of-age film An Awfully Big Adventure, adapted from Beryl Bainbridge’s novel. Cates portrayed Stella Bradshaw, an impressionable young woman who joins a Liverpool repertory theatre company after the Second World War and falls for its director, played by Hugh Grant.

Cates initially failed to secure the role but auditioned again under the name Georgina Cates. She dyed her hair red and adopted a Liverpool accent to better embody the character.

She later appeared alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Vince Vaughn in the 1998 black comedy Clay Pigeons. Her other credits included Illuminata, Frankie Starlight, Stiff Upper Lips, Sinner, and Jackass: Bad Grandpa. Her final onscreen credit was the 2016 film Everlasting.

Cates married American actor Skeet Ulrich, known for Scream and Riverdale, in 1997. The couple divorced in 2005 and had twins, Naiia and Jakob, born in 2001.

After building a varied acting career, Cates also worked as a photographer. She had previously spoken about her desire to explore different roles rather than repeat the same performances.