Charlotte Ninon Coleman (3 April 1968 – 14 November 2001) was an English actress best known for playing Scarlett in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Jess in the television drama Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, and her childhood roles of Sue in Worzel Gummidge and the character Marmalade Atkins. Coleman died of an acute asthma attack in Holloway, North London, aged 33.

Biography

In 1987 Coleman's then boyfriend Jonathan Laycock died as the result of a cycling accident; he was 23 years old. After his death Coleman went through periods of depression, and developed the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia; she also attended AA meetings because "she couldn't bear being with all those fat people at Overeaters Anonymous".


Death
On 13 November 2001 she visited her family where they watched a video together. Her father later stated that she had been in great spirits, because of her new flat in Holloway, North London, which she had decorated, and there was a possibility of a career upturn after a few years of a career stall. Later that evening, she complained of feeling unwell, but went home to her flat against her parents' advice. The next morning, Wednesday, 14 November 2001, her parents telephoned her to see if she was feeling better; but there was no reply. Concerned, her mother went to Charlotte's flat, to find her lying unconscious on the floor; her asthma inhaler was in a different room. She was taken by ambulance to Whittington Hospital in North London, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, from a massive attack of bronchial asthma.

A memorial was held at the Mill Hill Buddhist Centre in North London later that month, attended by family and close friends.