Iconic actress Judy Pace has passed away at 83.
According to Deadline, Pace passed away on Wednesday while visiting Marina Del Rey. Her daughters, Shawn and Julia Pace Mitchell, confirmed the news and shared that their mother “died peacefully in her sleep” while surrounded by family.
Pace built a powerful presence in Hollywood during the 1970s. She appeared in several films connected to the Blaxploitation era, so her work helped shape a period when more opportunities began opening for Black actors in mainstream entertainment. Additionally, one of her most notable roles was that of Linda Sayers in “Brian’s Song.” However, her entertainment career started long before film and television.
In 1961, Pace became the youngest model to join the Ebony Fashion Fair. The traveling fashion show celebrated Black designers and models across the country, so her participation placed her among the early faces helping push representation forward in fashion.
She later built an extensive television résumé while continuing her work in film. Her credits included appearances on “I Spy,” “Batman,” “Bewitched,” “Days of Our Lives,” “The Mod Squad,” and “Tarzan.”
Pace also earned an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress for her television role as Pat Walters on The Young Lawyers, a recognition that highlighted her influence on the small screen.
According to Deadline, her family is asking supporters to honor her legacy through donations to the NAACP instead of sending flowers.
Her decades of work left a lasting mark on Hollywood.
