‘True Blood’ Actress Dead After Long Illness: Marcia de Rousse Was 70

Marcia de Rousse, the actress best known for her role as Dr. Ludwig on the hit HBO series True Blood, has died. Her agency confirmed to Variety that the actress passed away in Altadena, California, on Saturday, Sept. 2 from a long illness. Further details were not disclosed. De Rousse was 70.

Born in Doniphan, Missouri in the 1950s, de Rousse made her onscreen debut in Steve Nash’s 1981 hit Under the Rainbow, a comedy film that also starred Carrie Fisher, Chevy Chase, and Eve Arden. The film is loosely based on the audition process for the Munchkins in 1938’s The Wizard of Oz. She also starred in the Gary Oldman, Kate Beckinsale, Patricia Arquette, Matthew McConaughey and Peter Dinklage-starring 2003 dramedy Tiptoes, portraying Kathleen, and reunited with Beckinsale for the 2016 psychological horror film The Disappointments Room, which also starred Lucas Till and marked de Rousse’s final acting credit.

The actress was perhaps best known for her work on the small screen, though. Throughout her career, de Rousse appeared in episodes of The Fall Guy and St. Elsewhere, as well as HBO’s True Blood. de Rousse starred as Dr. Patricia Ludwig, a doctor for supernatural beings, first appearing in Season 2 on the episode “Scratches,” before going on to appear in two additional episodes on the drama series’ fourth and seventh seasons.

“One thing that really strikes me is that it is addressing so many of the prejudices that this world has that’s focused towards the vampires,” de Rousse told TrueBloodNet.com of the series. “And they address that, they show how ugly it is to be looked down upon and separated. And with the vampires they’re weaving in the shape shifters according to the books, the werewolves. Again, I don’t have any idea what they’re anticipating doing. But they are bringing in all these creatures that for me, being such an imaginative kid, I always believed they were real. In my head, they were real. So seeing them on the show, I like these characters. I like these beings. I like them so I wouldn’t be afraid of them.. except maybe Eric! But Dr. Ludwig’s not! I think they show the humanity in these characters and I think that’s beautiful.”

News of her passing sparked an outpouring of tributes online, with one fan writing on X (formerly Twitter), “She will be missed. Condolences to her family. She was awesome as Dr Ludwig on [True Blood].” Another person wrote, “Awww…the nurse who saved Sookie from MaryAnne’s demon claw scratch in Season 2. And not to mention Pam from Antonia’s decaying spell in Season 3.”