Marvel’s Daredevil villain star Wai Ching Ho has died aged 82. No cause of death has been confirmed but heartbroken tributes have began to pour in across social media.

Ho is most recognised for portraying the principal antagonist Madame Gao in Marvel's Daredevil season 1, Iron Fist, and The Defenders. She also lent her voice to Grandma Wu in Pixar's 2022 film Turning Red, which secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film and boasts an outstanding 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. Daredevil star Peter Shinkoda, who portrayed Nobu Yoshioka in season 1, announced Ho's passing on Instagram, stating: "Just lost someone very special to me. She was one of the coolest. Thinking aloud."

In a subsequent post, Shinkoda paid a touching tribute to his colleague, expressing: "I won't ever forget you. I learned every minute from you when we were together on and off set. We will meet again, my friend. You were beautiful."

Actress Mahira Kakkar revealed: "I had the enormous good fortune to work with Wai Ching Ho and to share a dressing room with her. She was incredible- warm, funny, caring, joyful, positive and a truly wonderful actor. At the age of 82? 83? She played a lead role -basically a female King Lear, and was riveting.

"She would say to us - Eat two slices of raw ginger every day and you won't get sick! For those of us who did not have a lot of role models and mentors in the industry Wai was a pillar.

"I am deeply grateful I got to know her and I am very sad she is gone. She also utterly refused to speak ill of anyone. My dear Wai you deserve all the standing ovations- what a stellar human and a stellar artist. What an example of how to live."

Ho enjoyed an extensive career spanning film, television and theatre. Prior to Daredevil, her screen work included Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Flight of the Conchords, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

She also appeared in Orange is the New Black, Fresh Off the Boat, The Good Cop, New Amsterdam, Hustlers, Law & Order: Organized Crime, and Only Murders in the Building.

Alongside Henry VI, her theatre performances included Endlings, Snow in Midsummer, and Pearl's Beauty Salon.