A Black Mirror actress has filed a lawsuit more than two years after her mom suddenly passed away in a gym sauna.
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According to The Mirror, actress Milanka Brooks, who has appeared in TV shows The Windsors and My Family, along with Black Mirror, is seeking damages following the death of her 75-year-old mom, Mileva Brooks, who died from a heart stroke at an Everlast gym in August 2022.
The media outlet reported that the coroner’s September 2023 inquest revealed that Mileva died three days after other gym guests said she collapsed in the sauna and was experiencing breathing difficulties.
Milanka is now suing Sports Direct Fitness Ltd., the owner of the Everlast gym chain, at London’s High Court. She is seeking up to £100,000.
Mileva was a model and had joined the gym six months before her sudden passing.
The ‘Black Mirror’ Actress Referred to Her Mom As Her ‘Best Friend in the World’
Shortly after her mom’s passing, Milanka referred to her as her “best friend in the world.” The actress went on to write a one-woman show about her life, including her late mom’s involvement.
“I had been writing about my Mum for years,” she explained to First Night Magazine. “Her flamboyance and verve were so unique (along with her thick Eastern European accent) that I couldn’t resist the urge to put pen to paper and ensure others experienced some of the brilliance I did. She couldn’t be left unseen.”
Milanka then said, “There was a point in our relationship where we weren’t able to speak anymore, and it happened very suddenly. The shock of that, and the unfinished nature of our adventures led me to write this live version. It felt much more fitting to create a stage show first.”
However, she admitted her mom would have some thoughts about the show. “I mean, if my Mum were to ever see this, I’m certain she’d shout at me and tell me that she ‘didn’t say it dat way!’ So, if artistic license means I get to tell my story through my lens, and give as accurate an account of hers, again from my perspective, then yes, the whole thing is artistic license! A ‘Lela license’ I might call it.”