Daughter of beloved British actress dies suddenly at 27 while studying at Columbia University

See more of our coverage in your search results. “The Bill” alum Lisa Maxwell’s daughter, Beau Jessup, has died. She was 27. Columbia University in New York City announced the M.S. Journalism student’s unexpected death via Instagram Wednesday. “We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved her,” a separate statement read. “The Bill” alum Lisa Maxwell’s daughter, Beau Jessup, tragically died at the age of 27. (Seen here: Maxwell and Jessup.) Instagram/lisaajaynemaxwell Jessup was studying journalism at Columbia University. Columbia University While the Ivy League school didn’t disclose Jessup’s cause of death, it released an unpublished interview with Jessup from last month, which was conducted as part of its “Notebook” series. According to the university, the college student was drawn toward “cultural journalism, particularly how institutions, identity, and social expectations influence the way we live and understand one another.” Jessup told the publication her interest in reporting was sparked during her studies of social anthropology and writing for performance at the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge, respectively. The New York-based university announced her death on Wednesday. (Seen here: Maxwell and her daughter in 2011.) WireImage “We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, classmates and all who knew and loved her,” the school wrote in a statement. (Seen here: Jessup.) Instagram/lisaajaynemaxwell She was six months shy of graduating with her master’s degree in May 2027. In the interview, Jessup also reflected on growing up in a famous household with her mom, a “Loose Women” panelist, explaining, “As the daughter of a television actress, I grew up with an unusual awareness of the distance between people’s lives and the stories told about them.” “I saw how journalism could illuminate someone’s experiences, but also how those experiences could be distorted, simplified, or transformed into a public narrative over which the subject had very little control,” she said. The school also released an unpublished interview with Jessup conducted last month. (Seen here: Maxwell and Jessup.) Instagram/lisaajaynemaxwell Jessup (seen above in a collage of photos) was set to graduate in 2027. Instagram/lisajaynemaxwell Want more celebrity and pop culture news? Start your day with Page Six Daily. Thanks for signing up! “I was curious, from quite a young age, about who gets to tell people’s stories, and what happens when those stories enter the public domain,” Jessup continued. Additionally, the writer had a passion for theater and wrote her first play, “The Sandbag,” while studying at the University of Cambridge. Jessup also mapped out her goals after graduation, sharing how she wanted to pursue “reporting on people, culture, and social questions.” Jessup (seen above in several photos) had a passion for cultural journalism. Instagram/lisajaynemaxwell Maxwell (seen here in January) hasn’t addressed her daughter’s death. WireImage “I’m particularly drawn to journalism for its power and immediacy,” she said, adding that she also wants to write and is inspired by journalists who can report and write plays. Jessup made headlines in 2016 when she kickstarted her SpecialName website, a site that helps Chinese parents pick English monikers for their kids, earning her more than $60,000. Maxwell welcomed her daughter with her husband, Paul Jessup, in October 1999. The couple, who tied the knot in July 2014, have yet to speak out on the tragedy. Community Guidelines Welcome to the Page Six Community! Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas in a safe space. In order to do so, we've created a simple set of rules that will improve your experience. Simply put, keep it civil. Your post will/might be rejected if it contains: Spam Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language and threats of any kind Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author User accounts will/might be blocked if we notice: Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected Racist, sexist, or homophobic comments Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk So, how can you be a power user? Stay on topic and share your passion. Feel free to elaborate to get your point across. 'Like' or 'Dislike' when you are filled with emotions! Protect your community. Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules. Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Don't forget, freedom of speech is not the freedom of reach!