Star Trek Actress Camille Saviola Dies at 71

Condolences and prayers pour in after the actress who played Kai Opaka in television series ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ has passed away at the age of 71.

AceShowbiz -“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Entourage” actress Camille Saviola has died.

The Broadway regular, who played Kai Opaka in the “Star Trek” series and Turtle’s mum on “Entourage”, was 71.

Her death was announced on the Star Trek website WarpFactorTrek.com and longtime friend Harvey Fierstein confirmed the sad news in a tweet, writing, “She was a friend for 40 years who could always be counted on for a laugh, a shoulder or a kick I (sic). The a**. The Italian Godmother of Soul! Farewell.”

The Bronx native started out as a singer in the 1970s rock band the Margo Lewis Explosion and made her Broadway debut as Mama Maddelena in the 1982 production of “Nine“. She also played Mama Morton in a 2003 production of “Chicago“.

Her film debut came in 1984 when she was cast in Woody Allen‘s “Broadway Danny Rose“. She reunited with the filmmaker for “The Purple Rose of Cairo” the following year and again in 1991’s “Shadows and Fog“.

Her credits include “Betsy’s Wedding“, “Last Exit to Brooklyn“, “Remington Steele“, “Saving Grace“, and “Nip/Tuck“, among many others.

She portrayed Kai Opaka in four episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” in 1996.

Saviola’s most recent credit is Filomena in TV series “Younger“.

Fellow actor Wilson Cruz was quick to pay tribute, “What a presence this woman was! My heart is heavy. My love to Camille’s family and family of friends throughout the industry. She will be missed.”

Dan Bucatinsky also wrote a similar message, “RIP #CamilleSaviola. Wildly talented. We are all better for having had you with us.”

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