Actress Besedka Johnson has died at the age of 87.

She passed away in Los Angeles on Thursday (04Apr13).

Johnson spent much of her life as an aspiring actress, and her first and only film role was in director Sean S. Baker's 2012 movie Starlet, according to Deadline.com.

Paying tribute to his star, Baker states, "Besedka Johnson was one of the most inspirational, life-affirming and kind-hearted people I've ever met. She celebrated life on a daily basis and we are so lucky to have spent time and celebrated with her. My only wish is that she was discovered years ago and we would have decades of film and television that had captured her incredible talent. Besedka will be missed."

Johnson received critical acclaim for her role in independent movie Starlet, and even bagged a special jury prize at Texas' South by Southwest (Sxsw) festival.