Comedian and actress Yvette Wilson passed away Thursday after losing a battle with cervical cancer. She was 48.
Wilson was best known for her role as Andell Wilkerson on the 90’s sitcom Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers.
“Unfortunately I can verify Yvette’s passing yesterday. She was a good friend, a talented actress and a very funny lady, both onscreen and off,” her friend Jeffrey Pittle told E! News. “She will be sorely missed, but I’m sure her talent and humor will live on in her legion of fans. It’s a small comfort knowing we can still experience Yvette through the work she left behind.”
On top of battling Stage 4 cervical cancer, Wilson had also been battling kidney failure, for which she had undergone kidney transplants. Several celebrities including Lauryn Hill, Marlon Wayans, Jamie Foxx and Moesha cast mate Shar Jackson have expressed their condolences online.
Wilson began her career as a stand-up comedian, and later made her way into television in the early 90’s with small roles including two episodes of In Living Color. In 1993, Wilson landed a supporting role on the short-lived ABC series Thea. This television role led to parts in movies such as House Party 3 and Don’t Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood.
In 1996, Wilson won the role of Andell Wilkerson, Wilson’s most important and memorable role, on the UPN show Moesha, which starred fellow Thea cast member Brandy Norwood (known professionally as Brandy). Wilson would stay with the series until 2000, when she made the transition to the Moesha spin-off The Parkers starring Mo’Nique, where she had a significantly bigger role as best friend to Mo’Niques character Nikki Parker. After UPN cancelled The Parkers in 2004, Wilson would go on to do shows such as HBO’s Def Comedy Jam.
