We are sorry to report that British actress and theater producer Jill Freud has passed away. The 98-year-old was also a former housekeeper for author C.S. Lewis, and served as the inspiration for Lucy Pevensie in his “Chronicles of Narnia” series.
Her passing was announced earlier today by her daughter, Emma Curtis, via Instagram.
“My beautiful 98 year old mum has taken her final bow,” she writes. “After a loving evening — where we knew she was on her way — surrounded by children, grandchildren and pizza, she told us all to f*** off so she could go to sleep. And then she never woke up. Her final words were ‘I love you.’”
Jill Freud was born June Beatrice Flewett on April 22, 1927. At 16, she moved into Lewis and Jane Moore’s country home in Oxford to work as a housekeeper. In 1950, Lewis put out “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the first of seven in the “Chronicles of Narnia” series. In the novel, the youngest daughter, Lucy, is based on Freud.
After 3 years of working for Lewis, Freud left to study acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Lewis was so taken with her that he even paid her tuition. Her first feature film role came in 1947 with “The Woman in the Hall” directed by Jack Lee. Her final role was in 2003’s “Love Actually,” written and directed by her son-in-law Richard Curtis.
She married Clement Freud, grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, in 1950. Forever changing her surname. Clement unfortunately passed away in 2009 at the age of 84.
Our deepest condolences go out to Jill Freud’s family and loved ones.
