A new video has emerged online showing what appears to be the last-ever recorded footage of late actress and comedy legend Betty White. On New Year's Eve, White passed away at the age of 99, just weeks away from her 100th birthday. Her death came shortly after she participated in a documentary acknowledging her birthday that would screen in theaters for one day only.
After White's passing, new posts would continue to be added to her social media accounts as a way of keeping her memory alive. A new video has since been posted to Instagram that was recorded after White gave her last interview for the documentary. The 99-year-old had wanted to take the time to record another special video for her fans in which she expresses the immense gratitude she feels for everyone giving her so much love and support throughout the years.
"I just want to thank you all for your love and support over the years," White says in the clip. "Thank you so much... and stick around!"
"She could never have imagined such an outpouring of love and would have be so grateful to everyone," the Instagram caption adds. "When we recorded her special message to fans who attended the movie, we also recorded one that we had planned to put on social media on her birthday. She was using the occasion of her 100th birthday to celebrate YOU - her fans. She knew how lucky she was; she felt the love, and she never took it for granted."
Betty White's Final Interview Was Included in 100th Birthday Documentary
More footage of White speaking about her fans along with her career was seen in Betty White: A Celebration, the documentary that screened in theaters on Jan. 17. Originally, the doc was developed as a 100th birthday celebration. After White's death, it was edited to reflect her recent passing, but still includes the last interview that White did which was for the movie.
"Betty loved getting glammed up, as she called it. The dress, the hair, the look — she just loved that. It’s probably about a minute or two long clip of just her looking directly in the camera as the graciously fun, warm Betty," producer Steve Boettcher said of shooting the interview. "She thanks all her fans over the years and for being out on the 17th to see the film. It’s just got that twinkle that’s Betty. The great thing about it is that she didn’t read it off the teleprompter or have a script. She ad-libbed it, and that’s Betty to the very end. She’s spontaneous and has the wherewithal to go with it and do it live. She was so good at that. You can’t watch it for the first time and help but get goosebumps when you hear her. It’s just very, very sweet."
Hopefully, Betty White: A Celebration will be made available to watch elsewhere at some point in the future for those who missed the theatrical screening, giving fans a chance to see that footage as well.