Anna Shay, star of Netflix’s ‘Bling Empire,’ dies

(KTLA) – Anna Shay of the Netflix hit “Bling Empire” has died.

Her family issued a statement and explained the “loving mother, grandmother, [and] charismatic star” passed away after suffering a stroke. She was 62.

“Anna taught us many life lessons on how not to take life too seriously and to enjoy the finer things,” the statement obtained by People read. “Her impact on our lives will be forever missed but never forgotten.”

“Bling Empire” follows the lives of a group of wealthy Angelenos of Asian descent.

Ever since she appeared on the first season of the reality show back in 2021, her lavish lifestyle and no-nonsense attitude won over fans. Shay starred in the show’s three seasons.

She also ended up being a mother figure to some of her castmates.

Her costar Kelly Mi Li took to social media to pay homage to the matriarch following her passing.

“RIP @annashay93. You are truly one of a kind and we will miss you forever,” she wrote on Instagram along with a photo of the pair embracing in a hug.

The L.A. socialite was described as the wealthiest person in the series. According to NBC News, her father was Edward Shay, the founder of the American defense and government services contractor Pacific Architects and Engineers.

Shay told OprahMag.com in a 2021 interview she had no idea what she was getting into when she joined the cast of “Bling Empire.”

Originally, Shay thought her friend and executive producer on the series, Jeff Jenkins, wanted her to work behind the scenes.

“The next thing I knew, I was sitting in front of the camera. I’m really quite shy, so it was hard. I never thought about doing this, especially at my age,” she said.

The series drew comparisons to the blockbuster film “Crazy Rich Asians.” The series premiered in 2021 and was recently canceled after three seasons.

The reality star was born and raised in Japan. Her only son, Kenny Kemp, earned himself a bit of the spotlight as well, briefly appearing on the series and amassing a huge collection of pricy bongs, according to BuzzFeed News.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.