Ava Gillis, a 26-year-old makeup artist from the film and television industry, died on July 26, 2026, in a car crash in Wrelton, North Yorkshire County, police have confirmed.
According to North Yorkshire police, Gillis was driving her white Volkswagen Polo along a carriageway when a black Audi A4 collided with her vehicle. First responders arrived at the scene but could not save her, and she was pronounced dead there.
Gillis had built a five-year career as a makeup artist and was a BAFTA member. Her credits included work on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, Netflix’s Bridgerton, Wonder Woman 1984, The Crown, and The Acolyte. At the time of her death she had completed work on the upcoming Ayo Edebiri and Will Sharpe series Prodigies, a short film titled Route Cause, and HBO’s legal drama War.
Her family issued a tribute following her death, writing that in “almost 27 years with us, you packed in so much, study, travel, and work. It was a privilege to have raised you and loved you. Our beautiful daughter, sister and granddaughter, your loss is immeasurable.”
Gillis documented much of her life on her personal Instagram account, @avafgilles, sharing photos from her travels abroad as well as craft and cooking projects. Her final post, shared from a trip to Ireland, read: “I’d never explored the concept of being jealous of yourself, but the me, right now in Ireland, is sick to death of me from two months ago.” The post drew an outpouring of condolences in the comments.
HBO’s War paid tribute to Gillis in the closing moments of its seventh episode, “The Juicy Bit,” which aired this week. The show’s season finale is scheduled to air Thursday, December 19, on HBO and HBO Max.
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