Winter, a “Dolphin Tale” star who had been ill for some time, died Monday, according to the Orlando attraction where she was taken and her publicist.
Winter was taken to the Orlando Aquarium last month after her health declined. She died less than a week later.
“She was born with being the only dolphin in the world with a congenital hypoplastic left heart, which meant that her left side never developed to full mature, and she had always been unable to return to the birth canal, only being able to reposition herself,” Winter’s publicist, Diane Mason, said in a statement.
The cause of death was not immediately known.
“Winter’s most notable qualities were her powerful personality and her graceful, graceful demeanor that appealed to both humans and dolphins alike,” Mason said.
Winter died just before the monthlong premiere of “Dolphin Tale 2,” a sequel of the 2010 hit film starring Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr. It opened Friday.
Winter starred in the first “Dolphin Tale” as Winter, who lost part of her tail after it was lost in a crab trap. Co-stars Connick Jr. and Judd lobbied officials to help bring the dolphin back to life and her tail was reattached.
Winter returned to the silver screen earlier this year in “The Emoji Movie.” She later lent her voice to “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,” in theaters Aug. 12.
The aquarium, which welcomed Winter at its main animal attraction, set up a temporary aquatic theater for the movie shoot in March 2015.
Winter last appeared at the aquarium in April 2015.