Actress Kianna Underwood, best known for her childhood appearance on Nickelodeon’s All That, has died following a hit-and-run crash in Brooklyn.
She was 33.
Her father’s heart-wrenching words
Underwood was struck early Friday morning, Jan. 16, while crossing the intersection of Watkins Street and Pitkin Avenue in the Brownsville neighborhood, according to the New York Police Department and People.
Authorities say a black Ford SUV hit her around 6:50 a.m., after which she was hit a second time by a black-and-gray sedan.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both vehicles fled the area, and police confirmed that neither driver has been identified. No arrests have been made, and the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to investigate the incident.
The father of former Nickelodeon child shared a devastating message on social media following her death, questioning whether his daughter received any compassion in her final moments.
Anthony Underwood posted the emotional message on Facebook early Saturday, comparing his daughter’s death to an experience he once witnessed involving a fox that had been struck on the road. In the post, he expressed anguish over whether Kianna was shown dignity and care as she lay injured.
“Did anyone try to comfort my baby as she layed dying in the street alone, or did they just stand around with their phones,” he wrote.
A child star on Nickelodeon
Underwood rose to fame as a child performer, appearing on All That, the popular Nickelodeon sketch comedy series that also helped launch the career of Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson. She also spent five years as a voice actor, portraying Fuschia Glover on Little Bill from 1999 to 2004.
As she grew older, Underwood continued working steadily in film, television, and theater. Her screen credits included The 24 Hour Woman, where she appeared alongside Rosie Perez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Patti LuPone, as well as a small role in Death of a Dynasty, a satirical comedy centered on the hip-hop industry starring Kevin Hart.
Beyond film and television, Underwood also found success on stage.
She spent a year touring nationally with Hairspray, performing as Little Inez in the show’s first national tour.
Born in New York City, Underwood later moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. Her death has shocked fans and the entertainment community, particularly those who grew up watching her on Nickelodeon during its late-1990s and early-2000s heyday.
Homeless
In the wake of Underwood’s death, more heartbreaking details are emerging.
According to local news outlet Pix11, one of Kianna Underwood’s neighbors described her as having been “down on her luck” in recent years, before people realized she was the former child star. The neighbor added, “It’s sad, I know who she is. I used to see her all the time.”
In a video that resurfaced from late 2023, Angelique Bates publicly pleaded for support for Kianna Underwood and sharply criticized those connected to Nickelodeon’s All That for failing to intervene.
According to TMZ, Bates alleged that Underwood was struggling financially and living without stable housing in New York at the time.
Bates said she was frustrated by the lack of action from people who once worked alongside Underwood, questioning why no one was stepping in to offer assistance.
“Like I said, she’s [Kianna Underwood] one of us and she needs help, but she’s not getting it…and nobody is speaking on Kianna Underwood. Nobody. But people are doing interviews making it very loud and clear that ‘I’ve got so and so’s back’ if they say they need anything,” she said in the emotional clip shared on social media.
Although Bates did not single out specific individuals, her message made clear that she believed those tied to the former children’s sketch series had ignored the cast members who were most in need.
Rest in peace, Kianna Underwood.
