Actress and comedian Erica Ash dies aged 46

Erica Ash arrives at the premiere of We Have a Ghost in Los Angeles in 2023 (Richard Shotwell/AP)

Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series Mad TV and Real Husbands of Hollywood, has died.

She was 46.

Ms Ash died Sunday in Los Angeles due to cancer, according to her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann.

Erica Ash poses for a portrait during the 2018 Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour (Willy Sanjuan/AP)

“Erica was an amazing woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit, humour, and genuine zest for life,” the statement said.

“Her memory will live eternally in our hearts.”

Ms Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleezza Rice on Mad TV, a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series The Big Gay Sketch Show.

Her other credits included Scary Movie V, Uncle Drew and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy Survivor’s Remorse.

On the BET series Real Husbands of Hollywood, Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character.

Ash told the Los Angeles Times in 2017 that for a while, the only roles she was offered were similar to that character, but she wanted to have a more varied career.

Erica Ash poses at the 48th Annual Gracie Awards (Chris Pizzello/AP)

“I want to make choices based on what I want to read about myself when I’m older. For me, it’s just about growing and moving forward,” she told the Times.

She appeared in the Broadway production Baby It’s You and a touring production of The Lion King.

Ms Ash attended Emory University to study medicine but took a break and went to Japan, where she performed and modelled and her career flourished.

“One thing led to another, so I tell people I’m the Forrest Gump of my field,” Ms Ash told the Times.

“I just blindly, by faith, walked through life and said ‘yes’ to things that were presented to me, and it led me here.”