This Famous '80s Actress Stepped Out of the Spotlight & Later Revealed She Had a Deadly Illness – Where Is She Now?

For 27 years, the actress portrayed one of daytime television's most unforgettable characters, a woman who, in the mid-2000s, faced a life-threatening diagnosis on screen. About 17 years later, she confronted the same illness in real life. But unlike her character, she didn't face it alone.

For millions of soap opera fans, this actress will always be remembered for her fierce and unforgettable force at the heart of one of America's longest-running soap operas. But behind the scenes, her journey took an unexpected turn.

While she continued to take on roles in later years, her appearances became less frequent, and she spent more time outside the public eye. After stepping back from the spotlight, the Emmy-winning actress revealed a private health battle that changed everything.

In a rare public appearance, she opened up about a life-threatening diagnosis and the medical journey that followed, including surgery and months of treatment. She credited her loved ones for helping her stay grounded throughout the ordeal and shared one message above all: the sooner you catch it, the better your chances.

The Soap Opera Star Who Did It All

For millions of viewers, she was simply Reva Shayne, the bold, unpredictable, and unforgettable woman at the heart of "Guiding Light." For nearly three decades, she embodied one of daytime TV's most iconic roles — portraying everything from a talk show host and Civil War belle to a time traveler and cancer survivor.

Her performance earned her four Daytime Emmy Awards and made her a household name among soap fans. Off-screen, her work was just as varied. She appeared in "Santa Barbara," "One Life to Live," and made guest appearances in shows including "Babylon 5," "Seinfeld," and "MacGyver."

Her film credits include "Body Heat" (1981), "23 Blast" (2014), and "Bleeding Love" (2023), where she played Elsie. But after "Guiding Light" ended in 2009, her pace noticeably slowed.

While she continued to act, with roles in "Venice the Series" in 2019 and a brief appearance in 2022's "This Show Sucks: Truth + Consequences," she took on fewer projects over time.

In 2011, she explained the shift. Having grown accustomed to the fast, demanding pace of daytime drama, she found primetime work unfulfilling.

"Unless you're the star of that series and you are working more… I just found it extremely boring. I needed more," she stated. "I'm not a hobby person, so I couldn't sit around in my little trailer and try to occupy fourteen hours waiting to do a page of dialogue. It's just not my thing."

Away from the full-time demands of daytime television, she focused more on life with her husband, actor and director A.C. Weary, and their three children, Rachel, Max, and Jake. Her presence on screen became occasional, but her connection to her longtime audience remained intact.

Opening Up About Her Diagnosis and Months of Treatment

In May 2024, she appeared on the "Daytime Stands Up: A Benefit for Stand Up To Cancer" live-streamed event. Visibly emotional, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer on November 6, 2023. She described being overwhelmed when she first received the news, but stressed that it was caught early thanks to regular screenings and a proactive medical team.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women. It occurs when cancerous cells in the breast begin to multiply and form tumors. Roughly 80 percent of all cases are invasive, meaning the cancer can spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.

While the risk increases with age, most cases are diagnosed in women over 50. It can also occur in younger women and, in rare instances, in men. Symptoms vary — some women discover a lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm that doesn't go away.

Others notice changes in size, shape, or skin texture, such as dimpling, puckering, or redness. The skin may appear scaly or inflamed, or feel hardened in one area. Discharge from the nipple, whether clear or blood-stained, can also be a sign. In many cases, however, there may be no noticeable symptoms at all.

That's why she urged viewers to stay informed and proactive about their health. She acknowledged that she often brought questions to her doctor based on what she'd seen online, despite her doctor's warnings about relying on social media. Still, she believed it was better to be informed than unprepared.

"You want information. You want to know. You want to have questions to ask," the actress added. She also shared a message she felt couldn't be emphasized enough. "Early detection. Early detection. Early detection. Early detection," she said firmly.

And while she described herself as "a tough broad," she acknowledged that resilience isn't always enough on its own. Support, she emphasized, is just as critical as early detection when it comes to getting through treatment and coming out stronger on the other side.

Coping Through Treatment

When she spoke about her treatment, she didn't downplay its intensity. After receiving her diagnosis, she underwent a mastectomy followed by a series of infusion treatments. By the time of her May 2024 interview, she was preparing for her final round.

Her honesty about the process, its physical demands, and emotional weight was matched by the humor she used to carry herself through it. At one point, she joked, "And I have really nice Cs instead of droopy Ds now!" She even hinted that "No More Droopy Cs" might be the title of a future book.

Still, it wasn't humor alone that kept her steady. "If it wasn't for a wonderful circle of friends that I have — and not to mention my husband, A.C. Weary, and my family: Rachel, Max, and Jake, who call me every day — I would have fallen apart," she reflected. Their daily check-ins, conversations, and presence helped her manage the emotional and physical toll of treatment.

She also praised her care team, including what she described as "fabulous doctors" and a "fantastic plastic surgeon," as essential to her ability to recover and adapt. But even with the best care, she believed no one should have to go through something like this alone.

She urged viewers to get mammograms, stay informed, and find people to talk to. "Call me. Call someone. Find someone you can speak honestly and truthfully to that will listen to you," she advised others who may be facing a similar diagnosis.

Her words were echoed again weeks later in June, shortly after her treatment ended, when she posted a birthday tribute to her husband. The post offered a more intimate view into how present he had been throughout her recovery and how deeply she relied on him.

"This man! My partner in life! He is everything to me, and I don't know how I could have ever had a better life than with this guy!" it read. "Thank-you my love, for your strength, humor, medical assistance, not to mention incredible culinary skills! I will love you to the moon and beyond!"

Coincidentally, about 17 years before her real-life diagnosis, the actress Kim Zimmer had played a character who faced the same disease onscreen.

Art Imitates Life: Reva Shayne's Breast Cancer Storyline

In a 2006 storyline, Zimmer portrayed a breast cancer survivor on "Guiding Light." As Shayne, she navigated the emotional fallout of the disease in a storyline that resonated with viewers across the country.

Although written as fiction, the plot was loosely based on a real person, series head writer David Kreizman's aunt or great-aunt, who kept her cancer diagnosis private until she was in remission. In 2011, Zimmer reflected on the audience's powerful response.

"Not just letters from fans, but running into people on the street. They'd come over to me and say, 'I'm a five-year survivor,'" she revealed. The feedback was deeply personal and often emotional. Viewers challenged Shayne's decision to face the illness alone.

Zimmer said she deliberately avoided researching the disease in depth at the time, choosing instead to approach the storyline from the place her character had. "I chose to deal with the whole thing like she was in denial that this was something serious and was going to cause her to flatline and eventually succumb to the disease," she shared.

Now, years later, that role carries a different weight. What was once a scripted arc has become part of Zimmer's personal story, a connection that neither she nor her audience could have anticipated at the time.

Where She Is Now?

Since completing her final infusion in May 2024, Zimmer has continued to share moments from her life with her followers, particularly through social media. While she hasn't announced any new acting projects since her role in "Bleeding Love," her posts reflect a life centered around family, travel, and ongoing involvement in the theater world.

In February 2025, Zimmer marked her 70th birthday with a special family gathering in the Berkshires. Alongside a photo of herself with her children, their spouses, and her five grandchildren, she wrote, "To say that I was overwhelmed by all the beautiful videos and messages I received for my Birthday would be an extreme understatement!"

She described how her family compiled a film filled with tributes from people who had touched her life over the decades, leaving her "moved to tears of happiness" and laughter.

In June, she shared two more posts highlighting her love of the performing arts and her pride in her family. One featured her and Weary inside a theater, celebrating their friend Jerry Mitchell's work on the stage production BOOP. "Forget Audra and Nicole," she penned. "The work of Jasmine Amy Rogers as 'Betty' should take home the gold on Tony night!"

Later that month, she posted a Father's Day photo of her, her husband, and their three children standing in front of a "Theatre Raleigh" sign. She captioned it with, "He may not be my father, but I sure am glad he's theirs! Happy Fathers Day my love!"

Though she hasn't made any recent announcements about upcoming screen or stage roles, Zimmer appears active, joyful, and deeply rooted in her creative community.