Elvis actress Shonka Dukureh dies, aged 44

Shonka Dukureh, who recently drew plaudits for her role as blues singer Big Mama Thornton. Photo / Supplied

Shonka Dukureh, an acclaimed actress and blues singer, has died.

Dukureh, who recently drew plaudits for her role as blues singer Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic, was found dead on Thursday, July 21, Nashville police have confirmed.

TMZ reported the singer was found dead by one of her young children in the bedroom of her Nashville, Tennessee, apartment.

Nashville PD released a statement via Twitter earlier today that read, "BREAKING: No foul play is evident in today's death of actress Shonka Dukureh, 44, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in this year's Elvis movie. Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children."

BREAKING: No foul play is evident in today's death of actress Shonka Dukureh, 44, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in this year's Elvis movie. Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children.

— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) July 21, 2022

The child is said by the Metro Nashville Police Department to have run to get help from a neighbour, who called 911. Investigators are currently waiting for autopsy results to determine her cause of death, but no foul play is suspected by police.

Dukureh was also known to Doja Cat fans after she appeared as Big Mama Thornton in the singer's music video for the soundtrack song Vegas.

She also joined the rapper, on stage earlier this year to sing the tune at Coachella.

Big Mama Thornton had a huge impact on the young Elvis, who made her song Hound Dog world famous with his 1956 cover.

Dukureh was renowned as a gospel singer in her hometown of Nashville before acting, and taught local kids.

Her role in Elvis was initially set to be off-screen, but she was later asked to appear in front of the camera.

She said about the role: "I knew to really pay tribute to her, I had to tap into myself, my own self-confidence, my own voice.

"Big Mama Thornton was very adamant that she only had her voice – no one could sing like her and she sang like no one. So I had to also embrace that as our approach to music."

She last month added she felt like she was "on cloud nine" amid acclaim for Elvis.

- Additional reporting by NZ Herald