Leslie Jordan, 'Will & Grace' actor, dies at 67
Leslie Jordan: Will and Grace star dies aged 67
The US actor and comedian Leslie Jordan has died aged 67, his agent has confirmed.
The star, known for his roles in Will and Grace and American Horror Story, was killed in a fatal car crash in Los Angeles on Monday morning, US media reported.
Police told the LA Times that Jordan's car crashed into the side of a building and he was declared dead at the scene.
His publicist said the world had become a "darker place" with his loss.
"Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times," David Shaul said. "Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today."
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1955, he came out as gay to his mother aged 12 in the deeply conservative US state. "I told my mother I thought something was up. I didn't even know the word 'gay,'" he told People magazine last year.
"She didn't pull her Bible out, which I thought she would. She said, 'I'm just really afraid that if you choose this path, you'll be ridiculed,'" he recalled, adding that she told him to "'just live your life quietly.' I didn't follow her advice on that one."
After graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1982 he moved to Los Angeles and worked his way through a variety of roles, before getting his breakout part on the drama Murphy Brown. He was noted for his diminutive height - standing at just 4ft 11 in (1.50 metres) - and often played flamboyant characters.
His fame grew while starring in the US sitcom Will and Grace as Beverley Leslie - a role for which he won a Primetime Emmy in 2006.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jordan also found fame among younger audiences as a social media star, posting daily updates while quarantining in his apartment in his home town of Chattanooga.
Posting twice a day, Jordan racked up over 5.8 million followers on Instagram reflecting on his life, offering commentary on pop music and crafting dance routines.
"A friend of mine called from California and said, 'You have gone viral.' And I said, 'No, honey, I'm fine. I don't have Covid,'" he joked in one video.
He often spoke openly about his battles with substance abuse - taking his first drink aged just 14 - and once humorously recalled ending up in a jail cell next to Robert Downey Jnr while the Iron Man star was battling addiction. "I'm partially responsible for his success," Jordan later joked.
He became sober in the 1990s, and later spoke to CNN host Anderson Cooper of his battle against addiction.
"People say 'Well how do you get sober, what's the best way,'" Jordan said. "Yeah, well 120 days in the jailhouse in Los Angeles. That will sober you up."
A host of Hollywood stars were quick to pay tribute to Jordan, with his Will and Grace co-star Sean Hayes hailing him as "one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with".
"Everyone who ever met him, loved him," Hayes added. "There will never be anyone like him. A unique talent with an enormous, caring heart. You will be missed, my dear friend."
"Leslie, we are heartbroken at your loss and will miss your mirth and your inimitable spirit," said Star Trek actor George Takei on Twitter.
And RuPaul's Drag Race - the show on which Jordan starred as a guest judge - wrote on Twitter: "Rest in peace, Leslie Jordan. Thank you for the countless laughs and for sharing your spirit with us all."
Leslie Jordan, beloved comedian and actor known for his work on “Will and Grace,” has died, his agent announced.
He was 67.
“The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan. Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times. What he lacked in height he made up for in generosity and greatness as a son, brother, artist, comedian, partner and human being. Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today,” Sarabeth Schedeen, Jordan’s talent agent, said in a statement to CNN.
“Beyond his talents, Leslie’s gifts of bringing joy to those he touched, his ability to connect with people of all ages, his humility, kindness and his sweetness will be sorely missed by all,” his attorney Eric Feig said in a statement.
Jordan was involved in a car accident on Monday morning in Hollywood and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the LA County coroner, who identified Jordan, and a spokesperson for the LA Fire Department.
Jordan’s move to Hollywood
In his 2009 book “My Trip Down the Pink Carpet,” Jordan documented his move from Tennessee to Hollywood in 1982. He “boarded a Greyhound bus bound for LA with $1,200 sewn into his underpants and never looked back,” a publisher’s description of the book read.
The actor found work on television in shows like “The Fall Guy,” “Designing Women” and “The People Next Door.”
Jordan originated the role of Earl “Brother Boy” Ingram in the award-winning play “Sordid Lives,” which he reprised in the 2000 independent film adaption.
He was a fan-favorite for his recurring role as Karen’s friend Beverley Leslie on “Will & Grace.” He also appeared in “American Horror Story” and “The Cool Kids.”
His star shone even brighter during the height of the pandemic when his social media presence took off on Instagram, garnering him millions of followers.
The platform also became a place where Jordan shared about his struggles, memories and family stories (many about his beloved mama) through the prism of humor
Jordan talked to CNN’s Anderson Cooper about his past substance abuse and being sober for more than 20 years.
“People say ‘Well how do you get sober, what’s the best way,’” Jordan said. “Yeah, well 120 days in the jailhouse in Los Angeles. That will sober you up.”
In one post, Jordan recalled a guard who took pity on how much Jordan disliked incarceration and informed him that they had Robert Downey Jr. (who decades ago made headlines for a few brushes with the law) in custody and would be releasing Jordan and giving Downey Jr. his bed.
“Pod A, cell 13, top bunk,” Jordan recalled. “I feel responsible for most of Robert Downey Jr.’s success. Honey, I gave him a bed.”
His last posting on Instagram was him singing a hymn with artist Danny Myrick on Sunday.
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