Ananda Lewis, the effervescent former MTV VJ who became a defining voice and face for a generation, died June 11 in Los Angeles at the age of 52. Her passing, following a prolonged battle with cancer, was announced by her sister, Lakshmi Lewis, in a heartfelt social media post on Wednesday.
“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” Lakshmi Lewis wrote on Facebook, alongside a poignant black and white portrait of her sister, accompanied by broken heart emojis. “Lord, rest her soul.”
Lewis first captivated audiences in 1997, quickly rising to prominence as one of MTV’s most recognizable VJs. She hosted popular programs such as Total Request Live and Hot Zone, becoming a vibrant fixture in pop culture. By 1999, her influence was so significant that The New York Times lauded her as “the hip-hop generation’s reigning It Girl.”
Her burgeoning career at MTV led her to depart in 2001 to helm her syndicated daytime program, The Ananda Lewis Show.
In 2020, Lewis bravely disclosed her health battle, revealing via an Instagram post that she had been diagnosed with stage III breast cancer. She candidly admitted that a longstanding fear of radiation had deterred her from undergoing regular mammograms, a decision she later expressed profound regret over.
“My plan at first was to get out excessive toxins in my body. I felt like my body is intelligent; I know that to be true. Our bodies are brilliantly made,” Lewis once shared. “I decided to keep my tumor and try to work it out of my body a different way. I wish I could go back. It’s important for me to admit where I went wrong with this.”
“This is tough for me, but if just ONE woman decides to get her mammogram after watching this, what I’m going through will be worth it. PRACTICE EARLY DETECTIONShare this with a woman you love. These 6 minutes could help save her life.I love you guys,” she captioned the candid Instagram post.
Her journey with the disease progressed, and in October 2024, during a roundtable discussion on CNN with her college friend Stephanie Elam and anchor Sara Sidner, Lewis revealed her cancer had advanced to stage IV. She also shared that she had opted against a double mastectomy, a choice she made against medical advice.
Beyond her public persona, Lewis was thoughtful and reflected deeply on life and health. In an essay published in Essence in January, she emphasized that “prevention is the real cure” for cancer, urging women to remain vigilant about their bodies and listen to their internal signals.
She approached her mortality with a unique perspective, writing, “We’re not meant to stay here forever. We come to this life, have experiences, and then we go. Being real about that with yourself changes how you choose to live. I don’t want to spend one more minute than I have to suffering unnecessarily. That, for me, is not the quality of life I’m interested in. When it’s time for me to go, I want to be able to look back on my life and say, ‘I did that exactly how I wanted to’.”
Supporters and celebrities alike offered their condolences and expressed their shock at the news of Lewis’ death.
This is what Ananda Lewis said when asked what she wants to be remembered for.
#RIPAnandaLewis
pic.twitter.com/UJ7mkeoVbO
— y2k (@y2kpopart) June 11, 2025
Born March 21, 1973, in San Diego, California, Ananda Lewis was a proud alumna of Howard University, where she earned a B.A. in History. Of African and Native American heritage, she was celebrated for her natural beauty, recognized by People magazine as one of their “50 Most Beautiful People” in 2000.
Her career also included roles as an actress and producer, with credits in films such as On the Line (2001) and Nora’s Hair Salon II (2008), as well as a stint as co-host of The L.A. Radio Station 100.3 The Beat’s Morning Show.
She precedes her son and sister in death. Lewis’s journey, marked by both luminous success and profound personal challenges, leaves a lasting legacy as a media trailblazer and a courageous voice for health and cancer awareness.
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