Fans are continuing to mourn the loss of Canadian actor Kenneth Mitchell, who passed away on Saturday, February 24 at the age of 49.
The star had been suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, for over five years and his family released a statement announcing his passing.
Here's what we know about Mitchell's beloved wife Susan May Pratt, her own rise to fame, and their family life away from the spotlight…
© Getty ImagesSusan is also an actress
Just like her late husband, Susan, 50, is also an actress. She actually made her screen debut earlier than Mitchell did, with her first appearance being in a 1998 episode of Law & Order.
Her film debut came with a small role in 1998's No Looking Back, and it was followed by what is considered her most prominent role to date in 1999 (more on that in a bit).
Apart from those, among films, she has also appeared in 1999's Drive Me Crazy, 2000's Center Stage (which has also become a cult favorite), 2003's Undermind, and 2015's The Gift. In TV, she boasts credits from shows like Charmed, Mad Men, Ghost Whisperer, Private Practice, Franklin & Bash, and Masters of Sex.
© AJ Pics/Alamy Stock PhotoShe starred in one of the '90s most iconic rom-coms
Susan appeared in the teen rom-com classic 10 Things I Hate About You as the character Mandella, lead Kat Stratford's closest friend who is a Shakespeare savant and has a romance subplot of her own with David Krumholtz's Michael Eckman.
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The film was a reasonable commercial success, grossing over $60 million in 1999 and emerging as a breakthrough for not just Susan, but also leads Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It has also gained cult status as one of the best Shakespearean adaptations in popular culture.
© Getty ImagesSusan met her husband on set, and they welcomed two children together
On the set of the 2002 TV movie Charms for the Easy Life, Susan met Mitchell, then an up and coming actor as well, and they soon embarked on a relationship.
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They tied the knot in May 2006 and they became the parents of two children – daughter Lilah, now 16, and son Kallum, aged 11.
© Getty ImagesShe quit acting and went back to school
After dropping out of school at the age of 16 to pursue modeling and acting, Susan returned in her 40s to give college a shot as her acting roles dwindled.
In a 2015 interview with Buzzfeed, she revealed that she was wrapping up her bachelor's degree in business while finishing prerequisites for a master's program at the University of Southern California in occupational therapy.
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She told the publication: "Yes, I'm disappointed that my career hasn't been more successful than it has, but I've enjoyed it and I've really benefited from it and I feel like I'm beginning to know when it's time to diversify."
In a 2020 Instagram post with her husband, Susan emphasized that she'd quit the business, writing: "Wow, I haven't posted in a really long time. Lots has changed. I'm no longer acting. My husband was diagnosed with ALS. Not to mention the global pandemic and political turmoil. What hasn't changed? Hooray for life. Hooray for love. May you see us through...."
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