Soldier Solider star Marise Wipani has died aged 61.
The actress played Ellie in series three of the British ITV series, and also appeared in TV shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules and Shortland Street.
She passed away on her birthday on Friday with a post on her Facebook page confirming the news.
‘Marise passed peacefully today on her 61st birthday surrounded by family and friends.
‘She just wanted to say….I have shuffled off this mortal coil. Good byyye, good luuuck, good God!!! Quote from Driving Miss Daisy.’
A cause of death was not revealed.
The New Zealand actress’ Soldier Soldier co-star Jay Laga’aia paid tribute, saying: ‘You are so young and I will miss you. We have worked together over the years and I was always so pleased to have you on set. Travel well my sister, love you always.’
Soldier Solider star Marise Wipani has died aged 61. The actress also appeared in TV shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules and Shortland Street
Ian Mune, who directed the actress in Came a Hot Friday said: ‘Your presence and performance added a whole layer to that movie arising from your truth and honesty. It was what always struck me whenever we met. Fly high, Princess.’
Marise started her career in New Zealand pageants in the 1980s and was crowned Miss New Zealand runner-up in 1983 before becoming a co-presenter on Lotto New Zealand in 1984.
In 1985 she won the role as Esmerelda in Ian Mune’s Came a Hot Friday before Australian crime film Grievous Bodily Harm in 1988.
It was in 1993 that she won the role in Soldier, Soldier for the New Zealand-set third series.
Film roles followed with a part in Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur and the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in the mid-90s as well as Bonjour Timothy (1995) and Channelling Baby (1999).
In later years she landed a role as Kanae in 2001’s Xena: Warrior Princess and played Sharon Short in Rude Awakenings.
Her last acting role came in 2008 in Shortland Street.
