Yugoslavian born actress Mira Furlan died January 20, 2021 as a result of complications from the West Nile virus in Los Angeles at the age of 65.
Best known for her role as Minbari Ambassador Delenn on the television series “Babylon 5”; Furlan has appeared in dozens of film and television productions; as well as, on the stage.
Delenn photo credit: Babylon 5 Facebook page
After the outbreak of war in what was then Yugoslavia – now Croatia and Bosnia – Furlan and her husband emigrated to the United States.
Before coming to the U.S., Furlan was a star in her own right, starring in dozens of productions and earning a number of film awards.
Furlan made her television debut while still in her native Yugoslavia in 1976 in the TV movie “Knez”. Since that time she has appeared in over 90 productions. Before coming to the United States her roles included “Rano sazrijevanje Marka Kovaca”, “Cyclops”, “In the Jaws of Life”, “When Father was Away on Business”, “The Beauty of Vice”, “Putovanje u Vucjak”, “Drugarica ministarka”, and “Smogovci”.
Since coming to the U.S. Furlan’s performances include “My Antonia”, the voice of Silver Stable in “Spider-Man: The Animated Series”, 111 episodes of the “Babylon 5” television series; as well as the franchise films; “Sheena”, “Night Stalker”, “NCIS”, “The Abandoned”, “Law & Order: LA”, “Just Add Magic”, “Lost”, and “Space Command”.
Also appearing on the stage, she was a member of the Croatian National Theater; performing at theaters all over the country.
Her theatrical appearances include “Medea”, “Cranes”, “Antigone”, “Baal”, “Don Juan in Hell”, “Yerma”, “L’illusion Comique”, “A Month in the Country”, “Helen”, “Dybbuk”, “The Devil’s Disciple”, “Three Sisters”, “’Tis Pity She’s a Whore”, “Hamlet” “Scapin”, “The Misanthrope”, Mother Courage”, and “Alpha – Beta”.
Best known for her acting prowess, Furlan has also appeared on three albums; as well as, being a published author.
Mira Furlan’s accolades and achievements include a Dramalogue Award, awarded the Best Film Actress of the Year in Yugoslavia, Golden (Zlatna) Arena Awards (Yugoslavian Oscars”), Theatre Critics Awards, Univers Readers Choice Awards for her role as Delenn in “Babylon 5”, and a Nis Film Festival Award winner.
She was born September 7, 1955 in Zagreb, (Croatia) Yugoslavia to a Croatian Jewish mother and a Slovene-Croat father.
Furlan is survived by her husband Goran and son Marko.
Feature photo credit: By Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26365678
Delenn photo credit: Babylon 5 Facebook pag