RIP Elisabeth Sladen

[rm]

Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith on The Sarah Jane Adventures, has just passed away.

I came to the show only in the last few months as I worked on a paper that focuses on it. But I enjoyed her work on Doctor Who and fell in love with SJA. Her performances were always everything I love about Whoniverse: the wonder of the universe and the beauty of sadness and how you find a way to keep going in the face of both of those things.

It's an absolutely gutting loss.

My thoughts are with all who knew her.

Comments

[lostin-thestars.livejournal.com]

First thing I did after reading this. Emailed my Who loving boyfriend.

Second thing. Burst into tears.

[adelheid-p.livejournal.com]

Oh my, I'm really sorry to hear this. She was played one of my favorite Dr. Who companions.

[jnanacandra.livejournal.com]

Oh dear gods. I had no idea she was sick, either.

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

Oh my god.

::shocked::

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I'm holding back tears.

I don't have the words.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, no. :(

[marchek.livejournal.com]

Wow. I am so much sadder than I would have expected at this news.

really, really sad.

[azn-jack-fiend.livejournal.com]

Sad, and not looking forward to telling my son, who's very attached to her. I think I'll have to wait a few days for that.

[brilliant-snark.livejournal.com]

I am heartbroken. And my daughter only recently fell in love with SJA. I sense a good Classic Who marathon of Sarah Jane eps in my house coming on...

I do not have an appropriate icon. :(

[laufeyette.livejournal.com]

Shocking. Heartbreaking. The premiere will be bittersweet this week.

[copperwise.livejournal.com]

Loved both the character and the actress.

Damned cancer.

[christinenorris.livejournal.com]

I am so sad at this, it's like losing a bit of childhood. Tom Baker was my first Doctor, and Sarah Jane was up there with Donna Noble as my favorite companion.

I'll never watch her episodes the same way again.

[citrinesunset.livejournal.com]

Oh, no. That's very sad news. I didn't realize she was sick.

[forest-rose.livejournal.com]

This is so sad - I didn't even realise she was ill. She was so full of life.

[gement.livejournal.com]

Ow ow ow ow ow ow.

Until a year ago, I would have stopped at an "aw." She was an excellent companion, but not one of the ones I felt a strong connection with. In the last year I've watched a lot of SJA.

I've been watching her face age. I didn't know she was sick, but I was acutely aware that she was mortal. I was acutely aware of the things she was saying about being an *adult* in the Whoniverse rather than a disposable (or eternal) youth. One day we all find ourselves in Aberdeen, and somehow we go on and build other things, and try to do right.

Goddamnit I'm finally crying now. Took long enough.