Obituaries

Laurel Griggs, Star of Stage and Screen, Dies at 13

Among her credits, Griggs was the longest-running Ivanka in ”Once” on Broadway.

Kenji Fujishima
Broadway New York City
Laurel Griggs (far right) made her acting debut as Polly in the 2013 Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Laurel Griggs (far right) made her acting debut as Polly in the 2013 Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
(© David Gordon)

Laurel Griggs, star of Broadway, film, and TV, died at the age of 13 on November 5. According to a Facebook post written by her grandfather, David B. Rivlin, Griggs passed away from a massive asthma attack.

Griggs made her acting debut at the age of 6 as Polly in the 2013 Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, starring Scarlett Johansson. She then joined the cast of Once as an alternate in the role of Ivanka, which she would end up playing for 17 months, making her the longest-running actor to play that role.

On the big screen, she also appeared in the 2016 Woody Allen film Café Society. In addition, she guest-starred in episodes of the TV series Louie and Bubble Guppies, and also appeared twice on Saturday Night Live in 2017, in episodes hosted by James Franco and Kumail Nanjiani.