In honor of Women’s History Month, The Gramblinite would like to celebrate the life of former GSU student, and star of “B.A.P.S” Natalie Ann Desselle-Reid, who passed away at the age of 53 after battling colon cancer in December 2020.
Desselle-Reid developed her love for acting during her time at GSU and starred in several productions while she was a student here.
The graduate of Peabody Magnet High School in Alexandria, Louisiana, later starred in several films and appeared on TV shows such as “Family Matters.” Other notable appearances included roles in “Set it Off,” “Madea’s Big Happy Family,” and “Cinderella.”
Desselle-Reid had an impact on so many people’s lives that B.A.P.S co-star Halle Berry posted a tribute to her on Instagram after her passing.
“Natalie represented actual Black women, not what Black women are perceived to be,” Berry wrote in that post. “For that she was often underrated, passed over – deprived of the platform she truly deserved. But her light continues to shine through the people who grew up watching her, the people who knew her best and those of us who loved her. I’ll love you forever my sweet friend.”
Many fans and admirers made their way down to Alexandria to celebrate her life during what has been called a “beautiful tribute” outside of Peabody Magnet High School.