CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES: Just weeks before her death at the age of 66, soap opera star Andrea Evans took to Instagram to commemorate her time on ‘The Young and the Restless’. The beloved actress, known for her roles on both 'The Young and the Restless' and ‘One Life to Live’, lost her battle with cancer on July 9, as confirmed by casting director and former manager Don Carroll in a statement to Deadline.
In her final Instagram post on April 1, Evans shared a nostalgic throwback from her soap opera days. The caption expressed her joy in being part of 'The Young and the Restless' 50th-anniversary celebration, stating, "Took me a week to find this! Happy 50th anniversary to Y&R. So proud to have been a part of this show." The accompanying image featured a still of Evans from an episode of the show, accompanied by text indicating her portrayal of the character Patty with her married name, Andrea Evans-Massey.
Fans leave ‘Rest in power’ comments
Since her death, the post has transformed into a touching tribute, with fans leaving heartfelt messages for Evans in the comments section, honoring her memory and expressing their condolences. One user wrote, “Rest in Power. Tina and Gabrielle's storyline got me hooked. She was truly a star for the ages”. Another user commented, “We love you. Hope you are feeling it, wherever you are ?” on the picture.
While one penned, “Rest well sweet Andrea. I am so lucky to have been on this Earth during your time here. Legend. ???, another avid fan wrote, “RIP beautiful Andrea you were part of my teenage years ! Loved you on OLTL."
One user even wrote about a memory with the star, writing, “RIP Andrea, I've always enjoyed watching you on OLTL and that show was an important part of my teenage years. I still love watching the old clips on YouTube. I was lucky I got to meet you back in 1987 (right after you went over the waterfall!) and I bragged about it to all my friends. You were so sweet and kind to tell a nervous star-struck teenager that I had good taste for watching OLTL. Thank you for everything! ❤️”
A star gone too soon
Andrea Evans, originally from Aurora, Illinois, made a name for herself through her appearances in various daytime television soap operas. Her notable roles included appearances on ‘The Young and the Restless’, ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’, and NBC's 'Passions'.
However, it was her portrayal of the mischievous teenager Tina Lord in the ABC series ‘One Life to Live’ that brought her significant recognition. Evans's performance garnered her a nomination for the Outstanding Ingenue Daytime Emmy Award in 1988.
In 2015, she received her second Daytime Emmy nomination for her role in the web series ‘DeVanity’. More recently, she was seen on Amazon Prime's ‘The Bay’. Her passing was confirmed by her current manager, Nick Leicht, adding to the sorrow felt by the entertainment industry.
