It has been revealed that Raquel Welch passed away after experiencing cardiac arrest.
According to TMZ, the iconic actress, who was battling Alzheimer’s, died at the age of 82 in February. She was pronounced dead at 2:25 a.m. on February 15th and had already been cremated.
The two-time Golden Globe nominee had never revealed her Alzheimer’s diagnosis to the public before her death.
Raquel Welch gained popularity for her role in the 1966 blockbuster “One Million Years B.C.” which earned her a reputation as a sex symbol.
But filming the movie was far less fun, she said decades later, revealing that she actually “almost died” after developing tonsillitis after having to wear a skimpy bikini in severe weather conditions.
“I had already so much penicillin when I was wearing the fur bikini that I almost died,” she said in 2017. “I had to rush, turn my car around and head right back to the doctor’s office, just run upstairs, jump in the elevator, and all that.”
However, Welch later revealed that filming the movie was far from fun, and it almost cost her life. She developed tonsillitis after wearing a skimpy bikini in severe weather conditions and revealed that she “almost died” from the experience.
“And I barely got there. They had to shoot me with an antidote. Otherwise, I would have died. It was really rough shoot, man. Really rough. And then I came to London and everybody knew who I was,” she continued.
During her successful career, Welch was recognized with several notable awards, including a Golden Globe win in 1974. She received the award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for her portrayal of Constance de Bonacieux in the 1974 movie “The Three Musketeers.”
Her on-screen achievements were also reflected off-screen when Empire magazine named her one of the “100 Sexiest Stars in Film History” in 1995. Her stunning beauty and alluring presence captivated audiences worldwide and helped to establish her as a Hollywood sex symbol.
In addition, Welch was ranked as the third sexiest star of the 20th century by Playboy.
During her life, the “Legally Blonde” star married four times. In 1959, she married her high school sweetheart James Welch, and they had two children before their 1964 divorce.
Additionally, Raquel Welch was ranked 3rd in Playboy’s list of the “100 Sexiest Stars of the 20th Century.”
Despite her success in the film industry, the “Legally Blonde” actress spent her final years alone.
Welch tied the knot four times during her lifetime, beginning with her high school love James Welch in 1959. Together, they had two children before ending their marriage in 1964.
