Who was Leonie Forbes? Tributes pour in as Jamaican actress and broadcaster dies aged 85

Well-known actress, broadcaster, and producer Leonie Forbes passed away on October 25 at the age of 85. Prime Minister Andrew Holness mentioned in a tweet that Forbes’ name is synonymous with Jamaica, alongside Jamaican theater and broadcast. The tweet stated,

Leonie appeared in various local films alongside TV shows like Z-Cars, The Odd Man, The Public Eye, and more.

Leonie Forbes was made an Officer of the Order of Distinction for her distinctive career and works

Born on June 14, 1937, Leonie Forbes was raised in Kingston, Jamaica. She joined Kingston Senior School, followed by Excelsior College and the Durham College of Commerce.

Following her schooling, she joined the University of the West Indies as a typist. She then started working for playwright Barry Reckord and typed his scripts. She joined as a radio announcer at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation in 1959 and acquired a scholarship to join the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England.

Forbes studied radio, television, and stage techniques at RADA for six years. She even worked as a writer for BBC Caribbean and appeared in various TV shows like Z-Cars, The Odd Man, Public Eye, and Hugh and I. She made her first appearance at the theater portraying an important role in Lloyd Reckord’s Busha Bluebeard in 1962.

Leonie then returned to Jamaica and continued to work with the JBC in 1966. She continued to reside in Australia from 1968 to 1970 as her husband was working at the University of Queensland at the time. She even appeared in a few radio dramas for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and worked part-time as a drama teacher.

She was chosen as the head of the JBC’s FM service, Radio Two, in 1972 and was promoted to director of radio broadcasting in 1976. Leonie then appeared in several local plays and films, along with overseas productions like Milk and Honey, The Orchid House, and Soul Survivor. She joined as an Officer of the Order of Distinction in 1980.

Forbes’ autobiography titled Leonie: Her Autobiography was released in August 2012. While speaking to The Sunday Gleaner at the time, she said that she liked making people smile and forget their troubles and would describe it as a series of happy accidents that led her to her profession. She added,

Leonie mentioned that things are now different since there are more performing spaces, productions run longer and people can now travel and showcase their talent.

Netizens pay tribute to Leoni Forbes on Twitter

Twitter was flooded with tributes for the late actress and broadcaster, with many recalling their interactions with her.

Leonie Forbes is survived by her husband Dr. Keith Amiel, her four children, and family.

About the author

Anupal is a pop culture writer at Sportskeeda with a degree in Political Science. He developed a keen interest in the lives of celebrities, films, TV shows, and box office collections since an early age. After accumulating significant experience as a content writer across varied fields at companies such as The Indian Wire, DigiStatement, and QuirkyByte Media, he eventually settled on writing about his favorite genre - pop culture.

Anupal believes in conducting in-depth research while writing about any topic and relies on varied sources to ensure he produces holistic articles. He also often glances through content that was published in the 80s and 90s to gain a better understanding of the subject he is covering.

Anupal admires Robert Downey Jr., who played one of his favorite Marvel superheroes, Iron Man. He is inspired by the actor's resilience and the determination in overcoming past struggles to building a successful Hollywood career and admires the way he articulates his thoughts while speaking in interviews.

If Anupal could travel back in time, he would love to experience James Cameron's 2009 film 'Avatar' in a theatre full of fans. When he's not busy working, he binges on the latest OTT titles across languages.

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