Royana Black Dies: ‘Raising Miranda’, Broadway’s ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’ Actress Was 47

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Royana Black, an actress who made her Broadway debut at age 10 in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs and, five years later, took the title role in the 1988 sitcom Raising Miranda, died July 14 in Los Angeles of acute myeloid leukemia. She was 47.

Her death was announced by her family. Black was the wife of actor J.P. Hubbell, who survives her.

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Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Black was only 10 when she was cast as a replacement in 1983’s Brighton Beach Memoirs as Laurie, cousin of main character Eugene (the role created by Matthew Broderick).

In 1988, she was cast in the title role in CBS’ short-lived, nine-episode comedy Raising Miranda, playing the teenage daughter of a single dad, played by James Naughton. Bryan Cranston played her uncle.

Black subsequently made guest appearances on such TV series as The Cosby Show, Touched By An Angel, Hold, Please, and Medium, among others. In later years, Black was the Artistic Director and Chair of the Alliance Repertory Company, a non-profit theater company in Los Angeles.

Black married actor John Paul Hubbell in 2009. Hubbell played paramedic Lars Audia for three seasons of NBC’s ER. The actor, who uses the name J.P. Hubbell professionally, has also made appearances on NCIS, Shameless and American Crime.

In addition to her husband, Black is survived by her mother Gloria Black and brother Robert J. Pereira Black.

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