Lorna Raver, ‘Drag Me To Hell’ and ‘Rushlights’ famed veteran actress, dies at 81

Actress Lorna Raver has passed away at the age of 81, according to reports. The news of her demise was confirmed through the SAG-AFTRA’s Summer 2025 magazine’s “In Memoriam” section. While she appeared in numerous productions throughout her long career, Raver gained particular recognition for her roles in Drag Me To Hell and Rushlights.

Fans of horror cinema particularly remember Lorna Raver for her impact on the genre, and the news of her demise has shocked many of her fans. While she was best known for her roles in horror flicks, she also worked as a theatre artist and audiobook narrator.

Lorna Raver - a brief history

After being born in Pennsylvania, Lorna Raver relocated to New York City, where she made her mark in off-Broadway productions. She made her debut in Robin Swicord’s Last Days at the Dixie Girl Café, and later starred in several movies and TV shows.

Her film career began with her debut in the 1990 comedy Opportunity Knocks, though it would take nearly two decades before she would land her most iconic role. Raver experienced a career breakthrough at the age of 65 when she landed a role in Drag Me to Hell, where she made her mark as the vengeful Mrs. Ganush.

In Jason Norman’s 2014 book Welcome to Our Nightmares, Raver shed light on her experience playing the character, even as she admitted to having no idea bout the movie's plot. In the book, she was quoted as saying:

"While I knew of [Raimi’s] work from other films, I was so ignorant of the whole horror genre that I had never even heard of the Evil Dead [movies]. I was definitely interested in doing it because of Sam Raimi, but I was not fully aware of exactly what I was getting into until it happened."

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In addition to appearing in films, Raver continued to work regularly on television, with roles in most successful shows, including, The Young and the Restless (as Rebecca Kaplan, 2006-2007), ER, Beverly Hills 90210, Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives, and Grey's Anatomy.

Lorna Raver had been retired since 2014, and her personal life included a long-term relationship with writer and producer Yuri Rasovsky until his death in 2012.

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