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Keisha Nash-Whitaker, the ex-wife of Academy-Award-winning actress Forest Whitaker, died at the age of 51, PEOPLE reported. Her cause of death hasn't been confirmed.

Married for 22 years, the couple had a blended family: They shared daughters Sonnet, 27, and True, 25. Forest has a son Ocean, 33, and Nash-Whitaker had Autumn, 32, both from previous relationships.

True wrote a heartfelt tribute to her mother on Instagram. 

“Goodbye Mommy. I love you 4ever and beyond The most beautiful woman in the world … Thank you for teaching me every single thing I know. I’ll see you in my dreams and I’ll feel you in my heart,” she wrote.

Born in Boston, Nash-Whitaker worked as a model, film producer, and actress. She was signed to Elite Model Management and Ford Models, making history as the first African American model for Tommy Hilfiger.

An entrepreneur, Nash-Whitaker was the creator of the luxury cosmetic line Kissable Couture, along with her partner makeup artist A.J. Crimson.

She also appeared in the 2004 film "Proud" and was an executive producer on the 2008 movie "Kassim the Dream." 

She met Forest in 1994 on the set of the film "Blown Away," where they played a couple. Two years later, they were married in 1996 in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Nash-Whitaker recalled what initially drew her to Forest.

“He is very honest and sensitive and romantic,” she said in 1997. “He swept me off my feet — not with material things, more like the way he displayed his emotions.”

Forest filed in 2018, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in 2021.