Georgina Cates is dead at 51, and her daughter’s farewell reveals the woman behind the screen. Known for her fearless reinvention, the British actress left a life of creativity, struggle and laughter that Naiia captured in painfully intimate memories. Beyond the famous roles and Hollywood romance, her tribute holds something far more personal: a daughter’s love that remains unbr…

Actress Georgina Cates arrives to the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” on October 23, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)
British actress Georgina Cates, born Clare Woodgate in Colchester in 1975, has died at 51, her daughter Naiia announced on Instagram. She first became familiar to viewers as Jenny Porter in 2point4 Children. After initially being rejected for An Awfully Big Adventure, she auditioned again with a new name, red hair and a Liverpool accent, winning the role opposite Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman. Later credits included Clay Pigeons and Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.

Cates married Skeet Ulrich in 1997, and they welcomed twins Naiia and Jakob before divorcing in 2005. Away from the screen, she explored photography, continuing a creative life shaped by curiosity and individuality. Naiia remembered a mother who endured hardship yet still made others smile, thanking her for the courage to remain herself. “Now she can rest easy,” she wrote. Cates is survived by her two children, whose memories preserve the person beyond her performances.