Shonka Dukureh

Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in this year's movie about Elvis Presley, is found dead in a bedroom at her home in Nashville.

One of the children found her unresponsive and went to the apartment of a neighbour, who called 911. Shonka Dukureh, who played rhythm and blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's recent Elvis biopic, has been found dead in a bedroom at her home in Nashville. Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, found dead in Nashville home

The singer recently made her acting debut in Baz Luhrmann's hit biopic 'Elvis' this year.

“No foul play is evident in today’s death of actress Shonka Dukureh, 44, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in this year’s Elvis movie,” the statement said. The Metro Nashville Police Department has stated there was “no foul play evident” in the death of the actress. WATCH IN THE VIDEO ABOVE: Shonka Dukureh in the Elvis trailer

Shonka Dukureh, who recently gained global attention for her role in the Baz Luhrmann epic Elvis playing Big Mama Thornton has been found dead, aged 44.

Shonka Dukureh, an actor and blues singer who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's “Elvis” biopic, died on Thursday in Tennessee, police confirmed.

“Gratefulness is where I live cuz [sic] my granny, gmama, momma, family modeled and instilled it in me,” she wrote on July 13. Stream more entertainment news live & on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free.

Dukureh played "Hound Dog" singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's biopic.

In an interview about the film, Dukureh said of Thornton, “[Big Mama Thornton] was really raw with what she did and very honest and truthful and [made] music as she felt it. In addition to her appearance in Elvis, Dukureh also appeared in a recent music video for Doja Cat, and was gearing up to release her first album, The Lady Sings The Blues. ( Per THR, she continued to work with kids via after-school and summer programs even as she pursued her performing career.) Elvis was her film debut, after a number of years working as a session music with a number of artists, including Jamie Liddell and Nick Cave. She played Thornton in Luhrmann’s movie, and also appeared on the film’s soundtrack, belting out the version of “Hound Dog” that inspires Austin Butler’s Elvis to begin performing the song himself.

The 44-year-old singer, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's latest film, was found unresponsive in her Nashville home.

Autopsy results are pending from the medical examiner. Dukureh portrayed the blues singer Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis Presley biopic, which was released around the world in June. Police said there were no signs of foul play.

The actress who played blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's film Elvis has been found dead in her Tennessee apartment.

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A singer and actress who appeared this year as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's film...

"I, along with the entire Elvis cast, crew and musical collaborators, feel truly blessed to have had time with her. "The project is a tribute to the blues music genre in celebration of those fierce unsung pioneering artists and musicians who paved the way for the rock'n roll music revolution," she wrote on her website. The body of Shonka Dukureh, 44, was found on Thursday after one of her two young children found her unresponsive and ran to get a neighbour, who called 911, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement.

Police said there were no signs of foul play after she was found by one of her children in Nashville.

The actor, who also shared the stage at Coachella this year with Doja Cat, had a theatre degree from Fisk University in Nashville and graduated from Trevecca Nazarene with an education degree, WPLN-FM reported. Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in this year’s movie about Elvis Presley, has been found dead in a bedroom at her home in Nashville, police said. Dukureh, a 44-year-old Nashville singer, shared the apartment with her two young children, police said.

Tributes poured in for Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in the recent "Elvis" movie. Director Baz Luhrmann wrote: "A special light went out ...

Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children.— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) July 21, 2022 “An incredible talent taken from us too soon,” Doja Cat, whose real name is Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini, posted on Instagram in a tribute. “From the moment she came into our world, Shonka brought joy, spirit and of course her voice and her music. Whenever she was on set, on stage or even just in the room, everyone always felt uplifted,” Luhrmann added. The movie is widely expected to scoop up accolades during the Hollywood awards season. Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted his condolences to Dukureh’s family and said “her powerful voice and artistry will live on through her music, and we honor her memory on this sad day.”

A singer and actress who appeared this year as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's film...

"I, along with the entire Elvis cast, crew and musical collaborators, feel truly blessed to have had time with her. "The project is a tribute to the blues music genre in celebration of those fierce unsung pioneering artists and musicians who paved the way for the rock'n roll music revolution," she wrote on her website. The body of Shonka Dukureh, 44, was found on Thursday after one of her two young children found her unresponsive and ran to get a neighbour, who called 911, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement.

"Elvis" actress Shonka Dukureh, who played Big Mama Thornton in the film, has died. She was 44.

"Rest in Peace Shonka -- an incredible talent taken from us too soon," Doja Cat wrote in an Instagram story. Luhrmann concluded, "A favorite word of Shonka's, in daily use, was 'blessings,' and I, along with the entire 'Elvis' cast, crew and musical collaborators, feel truly blessed to have had time with her. "Shonka was just starting to find a larger audience for her tremendous talent, and I got to see her uplift whole crowds of people at Coachella and beyond."

Ms. Dukureh impressed in her Hollywood debut, with one castmate calling her performance “a spiritual experience.”

Olivia DeJonge, who played Priscilla Presley in the film, told Entertainment Weekly that watching Ms. Dukureh “was a spiritual experience.” Ms. Dukureh, who was from Nashville “by way of Charlotte, N.C.,” originally planned to become a teacher and held a master’s degree in education from Trevecca Nazarene University, according to her website. Her cover of “Hound Dog” especially captivated audiences. “Elvis,” the biopic of Elvis Presley that starred Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, was Ms. Dukureh’s first major acting role. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed the death but did not provide a cause, saying only that no foul play was evident. Ms. Dukureh’s performance as Big Mama Thornton, her Hollywood debut, was described by one castmate as “a spiritual experience.”

The musician played Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

Our hearts go out to Shonka Dukureh's children and everybody else who has lost a loved one in this tragic event. In addition to appearing in the movie she also appeared in Doja Cat's music video for "Vegas," a song from the movie's soundtrack. The children ran to a neighbor for help and the police were called.