A Miss USA finalist from the Pittsburgh area who parlayed a modeling career into a recurring role on “Beverly Hills, 90210” has died after a heart emergency.
Kimmarie Johnson, the model and actress who played Judy on the Fox teen drama, died at 50 on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 4, 2026. Her niece, Rhonda Scott, confirmed the death.
Scott said Johnson suffered a “heart event” at her Los Angeles home on Oct. 27. She was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a “heart aneurysm condition.” Her heart later stopped beating.
“She radiated a light so strong and bright,” Scott said. Johnson is survived by her son, Cameron Nino. Reports of her death described her as a model, actress and entrepreneur who ran her own line of skincare products.
From Wilkinsburg to the Miss USA Stage
Johnson was born in Pittsburgh on April 8, 1976. She grew up in nearby Wilkinsburg, Pa., attended Wilkinsburg High School and won the Miss Pennsylvania USA pageant in 1992, and the following year she represented her home state at Miss USA, finishing in the top six.
Kenya Moore of Michigan took the crown at that pageant, which was held in Wichita, Kan. Johnson studied at California University of Pennsylvania before moving to New York City and then Los Angeles, where she built a modeling career on print campaigns and runway shows.
A Small Role Before the Big Break
Johnson took a small role in “Let’s Talk About Sex” before her acting debut, which came in 1998 in an episode of “Beverly Hills, 90210.” She worked alongside series stars Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling and Brian Austin Green, and returned as Judy for multiple episodes of the teen drama.
She later appeared on “V.I.P.,” the action series starring Pamela Anderson, and in 2000 played Jumpsuit Chick No. 5 in “Dude, Where’s My Car?,” the stoner comedy headlined by Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott. Her independent film credits included “Shadow Fury” in 2001, “Spanish Fly” in 2002, “Gang Warz” in 2004, “Break a Leg” in 2005 and “The Summer of Massacre” in 2012. She also appeared on “Wanda at Large” and “Legacy.”
Johnson worked behind the camera as well, serving as an executive producer on “The Last Eve” in 2005. Her acting career was curtailed after the birth of her son in 2003, and her final on-screen credit came in 2017, as Rebekah in “Tucker’s War.” In 2011 she founded the skincare and beauty line SkinGlow by Kimmarie.
A Cast Marked by Loss
Her death adds to the losses for the show’s extended cast. Shannen Doherty, who played Brenda Walsh, died July 13, 2024, at 53, after a years-long battle with breast cancer. Luke Perry, who played Dylan McKay, died in March 2019 at 52 after suffering a stroke.
