If you are tired of waiting for ‘Bridgerton‘ season 3, don’t worry because Netflix’s latest hit series, ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’, just hit the screens. ‘Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story‘, is the prequel spin-off and it’s all about the fierce and fabulous Queen Charlotte, her rocky romance with King George and her rise to power.
If you have binge-watched the entire season, you might have noticed that at the end of the first episode, a tribute card comes up at the end which reads: “In memory of Jacqueline Avant.” Who exactly is Jacqueline Avant? She’s the woman behind the scenes who made this show possible, and sadly, she passed away recently. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
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Who Is Jacqueline Avant?
Jacqueline Avant was a philanthropist and community activist, who was president of Neighbourhood of Watts, a group that helped kids in South LA get quality childcare. She was also a model and primary school teacher before she entered the world of philanthropy. She was married to Clarence Avant, a legendary music producer who worked with stars like Quincy Jones and Bill Withers. And she had a family connection to Netflix: her son-in-law is Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of the streaming giant.
She is the reason the show was made. In a press release, Shonda Rhimes, the mastermind behind the show in a press release said she too is “obsessed” with Queen Charlotte. She went on to explain: “What really pushed it was Ted Sarandos, who called me up and said ‘My mother-in-law is obsessed with Queen Charlotte. Do you want to do a Queen Charlotte story?’ And I immediately said yes. Not just because it was Ted, but because I loved the idea.”
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How Did Jacqueline Die?
Jacqueline’s life was cut short in a tragic way in December 2021, when an intruder broke into her Beverly Hills mansion and shot her. She was only 81 years old at that time. Her husband, who had been with her for over five decades, was also in the house at the time of the intrusion. Jacqueline died on the way to the hospital. The killer, Aariel Maynor, 30, pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to 190 years behind bars.
In a statement to Deadline, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said “This crime continues to shock the conscience.” He further added, “Mrs. Avant’s death was a tragic loss felt by our entire community.” Her family paid tribute to her, and said in a statement: “Jacqueline was an amazing woman, wife, mother and philanthropist and a 55-year resident of Beverly Hills who has made an immeasurable positive impact on the arts community. She will be missed by her family, friends and all of the people she has helped throughout her amazing life.”
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