Beloved daytime television actress Andrea Evans, renowned for her performances in ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘The Young and the Restless’, has passed away at 66, as confirmed by her former manager, Don Carroll, and her current manager, Nick Leicht. Evans, who battled cancer, passed away on Sunday.
Evans will be remembered for her compelling portrayal of the troubled teenager Tina Lord on ‘One Life to Live’, and as Patty Williams on ‘The Young and the Restless’. Her portrayal of Tina Lord even earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1988.
According to Carroll, Evans was a private individual, who considered her close friends as an extension of her family. He shared that contrary to her dramatic television personas, Evans cherished simple moments. This included spending makeup-free days at Disneyland with her daughter Kylie.
Her departure has left a void, expressed in heartfelt condolences from colleagues and family. Melissa Archer, a fellow actress on ‘One Life to Live’, described the news as ‘heartbreaking’, and lauded Evans for her kindness, professionalism, and fun spirit. Kassie DePaiva, another co-actor from the same show, lamented the loss of the talented actress, who she credited with bringing ‘One Life to Live’ into the limelight.
Frank Valentini, former executive producer of ‘One Life to Live’, paid tribute to Evans on Twitter, complimenting her for her kindness, grace, and fun demeanor. Eric Martsolf, Evans’ co-star in ‘Passions’, posted on Facebook, mourning the loss of Evans, whom he credited for making working in daytime TV enjoyable.
Evans garnered another Daytime Emmy nomination in 2015 for her role as Vivian Price in the web series ‘DeVanity’. Other notable performances of hers include Rebecca Hotchkiss in ‘Passions’, Patty Walker in ‘The Bay’, and roles in various films and TV movies.
Evans had retreated from public life in the 1990s after a hiatus from ‘One Life to Live’, citing an unsettling encounter with a stalker. She made a guest appearance in 2008 on the same show, reprising her role as Tina, a move that was highly anticipated by fans.
Evans is survived by her husband Stephen Rodriguez, whom she wed in 1998, and their daughter Kylie. She was earlier married to her ‘One Life to Live’ co-star Wayne Massey between 1981 and 1983.