‘B.A.P.S.’ star Natalie Desselle Reid dies at 53

Natalie Desselle Reid in “Madea’s Big Happy Family”

Associated Press
December 7, 2020

Natalie Reid’s first roles were in heist film Set It Off alongside Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise and Vivica A. Fox and the ABC sitcom Family Matters. She later scored one of the lead roles, as Mickey, in B.A.P.S (Black American Princesses) alongside Halle Berry and Martin Landau.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Natalie Desselle Reid, who starred alongside Halle Berry in the 1997 film “B.A.P.S.” and on the sitcom “Eve,” has died. She was 53.

Reid’s death on Monday was confirmed by Je’Caryous Johnson, the CEO of Je’Caryous Entertainment, which was planning a stage adaption of “B.A.P.S.” Desselle’s manager Dolores Robinson confirmed the news on social media and said the actress died Monday morning of colon cancer.

“Natalie Desselle the beautiful talented actress passed away this morning. Natalie was a bright light. She was an amazing actress and comedienne but also an awesome mother & wife. Sending prayers to her family. I had the pleasure of managing her career,” Robinson said.

In the film “B.A.P.S,” Reid and Berry played the roles of two waitresses at a Georgia food diner who decide to fly to Los Angeles for a music video audition. The tandem ended up living a luxury lifestyle as “Black American Princesses” while caring for an elderly Beverly Hills millionaire.

Johnson said Reid was looking forward to bringing her role as Mickey in the film back to life. He said everyone fell in love with Reid’s “undeniably witty, always giving and caring and hilariously show-stopping personality” during rehearsals earlier this year.

“The world has truly lost one of its most angelic souls here on Earth,” Johnson said in a statement, noting the dedicated approach Reid took to her acting. “There will never be another woman like her who so effortlessly lit up the screen, as well as any room she walked into.”

Berry said on Twitter that she was “in total shock. … completely heartbroken.”

Her first roles were in heist film Set It Off alongside Jada Pinkett, Queen Latifah, Kimberly Elise and Vivica A. Fox and the ABC sitcom Family Matters. She later scored one of the lead roles, as Mickey, in B.A.P.S (Black American Princesses) alongside Halle Berry and Martin Landau.Reid starred as Eve’s friend Janie Egins over a three-season span on the UPN sitcom “Eve.” The actor also appeared in Tyler Perry’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” F. Gary Gray’s “Set It Off” and Def Jam’s “How to Be a Player.”

Eve paid tribute to Reid on her social media saying “thank you for your light and spirit.”