Movies Elvis actress Shonka Dukureh's cause of death revealed The 44-year-old singer and actress, who played Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's acclaimed biopic, died of natural causes. By Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives, and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext, Queerty, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once. EW's editorial guidelines Published on August 30, 2022 08:57PM EDT Actress and singer Shonka Dukureh made her big-screen debut this year in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, only to tragically die shortly after the film's release. Her death at 44 came as a shock, and now the cause has been revealed. According to the Tennessee's Davidson County Medical Examiner's office, Dukureh died of natural causes. The official cause was "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease," according to a report obtained by Entertainment Weekly. Hypertension is also known as high blood pressure, while atherosclerosis is the buildup of fats, cholesterol, and other substances in and on the artery walls, causing arteries to narrow, blocking blood flow, and to potentially burst, leading to a blood clot. Dukureh was found dead the morning of July 21 in the bedroom of her Nashville apartment, which she shared with her two young children. One of her children found her unresponsive and ran to a neighbor's apartment to call 911. Shonka Dukureh as Big Mama Thornton in 'Elvis'. Kane Skennar/Warner Bros. "Shonka was just starting to find a larger audience for her tremendous talent, and I got to see her uplift whole crowds of people at Coachella and beyond," Luhrmann wrote of Dukureh upon her passing. "A favorite word of Shonka's, in daily use, was 'blessings,' and I, along with the entire Elvis cast, crew, and musical collaborators, feel truly blessed to have had time with her." Dukureh's role in Elvis as Big Mama Thornton, the iconic R&B singer-songwriter who first recorded "Hound Dog," marked the Nashville native's first film. Earlier this year she was also seen in the music video for Doja Cat's "Vegas," from the Elvis soundtrack. In addition to her work in Elvis, Dukureh recorded with and provided background vocals for the likes of Nick Cave, Mike Farris, Jamie Lidell and the Royal Pharaohs, and many more. Prior to her death, she also had plans to release her first full-length album. Related content: Shonka Dukureh, singer who played Big Mama Thornton in Elvis, dies at 44 Elvis director Baz Lurhmann pays tribute to film's late star Shonka Dukureh: 'A special light went out' Stars we've lost in 2022