Shonka Dukureh, a singer and actress who portrayed Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in the recently released Baz Luhrmann film “Elvis,” died Thursday, according to Nashville police.
What happened to Shonka Dukureh?
”Shonka was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apartment that she shared with her two young children” said the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department while making a statement.
She was found by one of her children who ran to alert a neighbor that her mum was unresponsive. Post-mortem results are pending from the medical examiner. Director Baz Luhrmann has said he felt “truly blessed” to have had time with Shonka. After hearing the news, Luhrmann shared a series of pictures which included an image of him kissing Dukureh on the forehead while on the set of Elvis.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper lamented the loss of her immense talents in a tweet on Thursday. “Her powerful voice and artistry will live on through her music, and we honor her memory on this sad day,” he wrote.