For nine years, viewers tuned in to watch a pair of angels help mere humans through hard times in their lives on Touched by an Angel, which ran from 1994 to 2003. Roma Downey starred as Monica, the younger angel in training, while Della Reese played Tess, her supervisor. A show about two angels riding around in a Cadillac definitely isn’t typical for network TV, but these days, Downey is making sure that at least the Christian aspect of the show is something that viewers can still find in other series and movies.
In addition to acting, Downey now works as a producer with a focus on Christian content. She collaborates with her husband, who is a well-known reality TV producer. Read on to find out more about Downey’s career today and about her relationship with her late Touched by an Angel co-star.
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Downey is the president of LightWorkers Media, which is owned by MGM. Downey started LightWorkers with her husband, producer Mark Burnett. The company is best known for producing the miniseries The Bible, which aired on History in 2013. The company also produced the movie Son of God and the series The Women of the Bible and A.D. The Bible Continues, amongst others.
Downey has continued acting since Touched by an Angel ended, including in The Bible and Son of God. Currently, she is working on the series The Baxters, based on the books by Karen Kingsbury. The project is also being produced by LightWorkers.
Downey has been married to Burnett, her third husband, since 2007. In addition to working with his wife on LightWorkers, Burnett is the chairman of MGM Television and is known for producing reality shows including Survivor, The Voice, and The Apprentice.
Downey has one child, 25-year-old daughter Reilly Anspaugh, with her second husband, David Anspaugh. She also has two stepsons through her marriage to Burnett.
Downey and Reese maintained a close relationship after Touched by an Angel ended, and Reese even officiated Downey and Burnett’s wedding, as reported by People.
Reese died in 2017 at the age of 86. Speaking of her friend and co-star with E! News in 2018, Downey said, “I miss her everyday. She was such a blessing in my life but not just my life but the lives of everyone she met.” Downey shared that Reese was like a mother to her, since she lost her own mother when she was 10 years old.
“She was such an influence on my life,” Downey continued. “She was my mother. I was a girl without a mother and for certain God brought her into my life. She was one of the lasting gifts of Touched by an Angel.“
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