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Vanity, Star Of Action Jackson And The Last Dragon, Dies At 57

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Singer and actress Vanity, who starred in movies like ‘Action Jackson’ and 'The Last Dragon’ has died at the age of 57.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, she died of kidney failure caused by many years of crack cocaine abuse, despite being sober since the mid-90s.

As a music star, Vanity, real name Denise Matthews, was discovered by Prince in 1980, who gave her her stage name and made her the lead singer in the band Vanity 6, most famous for the synth classic 'Nasty Girl’.

However, she had begun acting prior to her music career, with small roles in movies like 'Klondike Fever’ with Angie Dickinson and 'Terror Train’ with Jamie Lee Curtis.

Then in 1985 she landed the starring role in Motown legend Berry Gordy’s martial arts musical 'The Last Dragon’, a failure at the time but now considered something of a cult classic, featuring roles for Keshia Knight Pulliam, William H. Macy and Chazz Palminteri.

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Vanity also starred as Sydney Ash in the 1988 movie 'Action Jackson’ alongside 'Rocky’ star Carl Weathers, and 'Never Too Young To Die’ with John Stamos and Kiss star Gene Simmons.

She also appeared in various TV shows including 'Miami Vice’, 'Tales from the Crypt’, '21 Jump Street’ spin-off 'Booker’ and 'Highlander: The Series’.

She was romantically linked to a host of rock stars including Prince, who gifted her her stage name of Vanity as he saw her as his 'female reflection’, along with the likes of Billy Idol, Adam Ant and Nikki Sixx from the Motley Crue.

However, during her acting heyday, she was also struggling with crack addiction.

She overdosed in 1994, suffering near-fatal renal failure, and had to undergo intensive daily kidney dialysis ever since.

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Matthews became a born-again Christian, claiming that Jesus Christ had appeared to her while on life support following her overdose, and underwent a kidney transplant in 1997, also renouncing her stage name and throwing out all evidence of her music career.

In later years she devoted herself instead to evangelism, speaking in churches across the US, but last year launched a crowdfunding effort to help pay for mounting medical bills as her health took a turn for the worse.

Her friend MC Hammer confirmed that she had died in hospital in Fremont, California, yesterday.

He tweeted on Monday night: “She fell ill during the night [and] ended up on life support.

“She absolutely loved God unto salvation. Rest in his Glory.”

Image credits: Rex Features