ATLANTA -- Actress Carol Mitchell-Leon, a veteran of many Atlanta stages and a respected drama teacher, died Monday after a long illness. She was 57.

Mitchell died Monday morning at Piedmont Hospital, Debbie Barber, a close friend told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Mitchell-Leon's health deteriorated since she suffered a heart attack during kidney-related surgery in November 2007.

"She just never fully recovered,” said Barber, who was the actress’ legal and medical guardian, told the newspaper. “She’s just been ill from the kidney ailment ever since and from having a weak heart at the same time.”

Mitchell-Leon was married to Atlanta director Kenny Leon from 1987 to 1998 and taught in the drama department of Clark Atlanta University.

Mitchell-Leon's film credits included Fried Green Tomatoes, Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Idlewild.

She appeared on numerous stages in Atlanta including the Alliance, 7 Stages, PushPush, Actor’s Express, the Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Marietta’s Theatre in the Square and Synchronicity Performance Group.

Mitchell-Leon came to Atlanta from her hometown of Philadelphia to attend Clark Atlanta University in the 1980s, eventually heading up the theater department there.

Some of her favorite roles included Pearl Cleage’s Flyin’ West and matriarch Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie.

Plans for a memorial service will be announced.