Anne Heche was working on a movie about sex trafficking before her fiery car crash on August 5, which ultimately took her life.
Her family confirmed Friday that Heche died from injuries related to the crash. She was 53 years old.
Before the accident, Heche was working on “Girl in Room 13,” playing the mother of a sex trafficking victim.
The Lifetime Network film is continuing its rollout, and the movie is set for release in September.
The award-winning actress was supposed to appear on a Television Critics Association panel for “Girl in Room 13,” but at the time was in critical condition from the accident.
“As many of you know, Anne remains in critical condition. And all of us here at Lifetime are deeply concerned for her and everyone affected,” said Amy Winter, executive VP and head of programming, IndieWire reported. “We hope that her friends and family stay strong during this difficult time. You know just as much as we do and we ask that you kindly refrain from inquiring about her health status.”
“This project is important to … each and every one of us,” Winter continued. “We all started to make a film that would bring attention to the appalling issue of human sex trafficking. We hope that this film moves you and that you are just as inspired as Anne was to help us with our with our mission to stop violence against women.”
The film’s director Elisabeth Rohm echoed the same at the conference.
“We’re all so dedicated to the cause, stopping violence against women and I again thank Lifetime’s so much for creating this platform. All of us, especially Larissa [Dias] who played this victim, are committed to that cause,” Rohm said. “We talked about it — every single one of us — that this was our mission. And although [Anne] is deeply missed, right now, I will say the film is finished and she did a phenomenal performance, a tour de force much like Larissa.”
Heche reportedly crashed into a garage of an apartment complex on August 5 before backing up, speeding off, and eventually crashing into the Los Angeles home.
In a video obtained by TMZ, Heche’s blue Mini Cooper is seen near the garage, and it seems the actress is speaking to residents of the complex. A male voice repeatedly asks Heche to get out of the car, and the actress responds, “no, sir,” the video suggests. The vehicle in the video then backs up and speeds off.
Video from a home security camera shows the Mini Cooper moving at high speeds down a street before crashing into the two-story home.
EXCLUSIVE: Video shows the vehicle owned by actress Anne Heche speeding down a Mar Vista street moments before crashing into a home and sparking a fire. The story on @CBSLA 5pm. pic.twitter.com/1H93z5aVx7
— Rachel Kim (@CBSLARachel) August 5, 2022
According to a press release from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the “Six Days Seven Nights” actress barreled into a 738-square-foot, two-story home “causing structural compromise and erupting in heavy fire prior to LAFD arrival.”
It took 59 firefighters 65 minutes to “access, confine and fully extinguish the stubborn flames within the heavily damaged structure, and rescue one female adult found within the vehicle, who has been taken to an area hospital by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition,” the press release added. “No other injuries reported.”
Authorities confirmed on Thursday that narcotics were found in the actress’ system.
Related: Shocking Details Emerge In Actress Anne Heche’s Fiery Crash Into Two-Story Home