Latest news with #actress
New York Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Valerie Mahaffey, Actress Who Played Quirky Villains, Dies at 71
Valerie Mahaffey, a character actress with a knack for playing eccentric women who sometimes revealed themselves to be sinister in television shows like 'Desperate Housewives,' 'Northern Exposure' and 'Devious Maids,' died on Friday in Los Angeles. She was 71. The cause was cancer, her husband, the actor Joseph Kell, said in a statement, adding: 'I have lost the love of my life.' Ms. Mahaffey had worked steadily over the past five decades, starting out on the NBC daytime soap opera, 'The Doctors,' for which she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in 1980. Most recently, she appeared in the movie 'The 8th Day,' a crime thriller released in March. She was also known for her guest starring roles on well-known TV series such as 'Seinfeld' and 'Grey's Anatomy.' She won an Emmy for best supporting actress in 1992 for her work as Eve, a hypochondriac, on the 1990s CBS series 'Northern Exposure,' a drama set in Alaska. She was best known for playing seemingly friendly women who become villainous characters in dramas such as 'Desperate Housewives,' where she appeared in nine episodes. In her 'Housewives' role as Alma Hodge, she was a woman trapped in a loveless marriage who faked her own death to get back at her husband, hoping he would be blamed for her disappearance. She most recently won acclaim for her work in the 2020 dark comedy, 'French Exit,' which saw her nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of Madame Reynard, a scene-stealing eccentric widow. In an interview in 2021 with the Gold Derby, Ms. Mahaffey discussed the role, saying: 'I know how to be funny. I've done sitcoms. I know ba-dum-bum humor.' 'Maybe it's this point in my life,' she added, 'I don't want any artifice. And I wanted to play the truth of every moment.' Ms. Mahaffey was born on June 16, 1953, in Sumatra, Indonesia. Her mother, Jean, was Canadian, and her father, Lewis, was an American who worked in the oil business. Her family later moved to Nigeria before eventually settling in Austin, Texas, where she attended high school and went on to earn a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1975, from the University of Texas. The frequent moves made her family very close, she told The New York Times in a 1983 interview. 'We had to leave friends behind all the time, and so we turned toward one another,' she said. In addition to her husband, Ms. Mahaffey is survived by their daughter, Alice Richards.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brooke Shields turns 60: a look back at her iconic career
Brooke Shields, who turns 60 on Saturday, has captivated audiences for decades with her work as a model, actress and author. From her breakout in "Pretty Baby" and "The Blue Lagoon" to TV roles on "Suddenly Susan" and "Lipstick Jungle" and Broadway stints in "Chicago" and "Cabaret," Shields remains a pop culture icon.
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Desperate Housewives' star Valerie Mahaffey dead at 71
Valerie Mahaffey, best known for her roles in "Desperate Housewives" and "Young Sheldon," has died. She was 71. Her publicist confirmed with Fox News Digital Mahaffey's death on Friday, May 30, after she lost her battle with cancer. "Valerie Mahaffey was a striking and charismatic stage, film, and television actress whose career spanned many decades. Her warm and infectious energy was felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing her," the statement read. Her husband, Joseph Kell, additionally shared a heartfelt tribute, "I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed." Mahaffey was born and raised in Indonesia until the age of 11. She then lived in several places, including Nigeria, Texas and England. The actress started her illustrious career in New York City, where she performed in six Broadway plays, including "Dracula" and "Play Memory." Mahaffey starred in many Off-Broadway and regional plays, as she was recognized for her work in "Top Girls" and "Talking Heads." Her other theater credits included playing Desdemona in "Othello" opposite Morgan Freeman, and Julie' in "Romeo and Juliet" with Tom Hulce. Mahaffey starred in ABC's thriller series "Big Sky," created by multi-award-winning writer-producer David E. Kelley. Fans will remember Mahaffey's grandiose character Lorna Harding in season one and two of Netflix's Emmy-nominated show, "Dead to Me," as she starred alongside Christina Applegate. Mahaffey won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in "Northern Exposure," as her other television credits include Norman Lear's "The Powers That Be," "Seinfeld," "Desperate Housewives," "Wings" and "ER." Before her death, she was recently seen in Apple TV+'s "ECHO 3" and received critical acclaim as the ever-hopeful "Madame Reynard" in "French Exit" opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges. Mahaffey's other accolades include receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female for her scene-stealing role in the film. Her other film credits include Clint Eastwood's "Sully," "Jungle 2 Jungle," "No Pay, Nudity" and "Seabiscuit." Proving to be talented in front of and behind the camera, Mahaffey produced and acted in "Summer Eleven" alongside her daughter, Alice. Mahaffey is survived by her husband, Kell, and daughter, Alice.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Desperate Housewives star Valerie Mahaffey dies aged 71
Emmy winning actress Valerie Mahaffey has died at age 71, her family has publicist confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the star died in California on Friday after being diagnosed with star was known for her work on television series including Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon and Big a statement provided to Variety, Mahaffey's husband Joseph Kell said that he had "lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses"."She will be missed," he said. On Facebook, the couple's daughter Alice wrote: "I don't really have the words to say right now. Cancer sucks. I'll look for you in all the fun moments of life. I know that's where you'll be." In 1992, Mahaffey won an primetime Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Eve in the American dark comedy Northern Exposure. Her primetime success came after a daytime Emmy award in the previous decade for her role in The Doctors, a soap opera which aired from 1979-1981. She also appeared in several films, including Sully and Seabiscuit. More recent roles have included an appearance as Madame Reynard in the 2020 film French Exit, for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Born to a Canadian mother and American father in Sumatra, Indonesia, Mahaffey relocated as a teen to first film credit came in 1977, with a role in the film Tell Me My Name. Mahaffey appeared in episodes of dozens of television series over her five-decade career, including medical drama ER, the dystopian series The Man in the High Castle, and the musical series Desperate Housewives, her memorable role as Alma Hodge, the manipulative ex-wife of Orson Hodge, saw her appear on the drama-filled Wisteria Lane for eight also appeared as teacher Victoria MacElroy in Young Sheldon, a spin-off of the Big Bang Theory that focuses on the upbringing of the show's titular star Sheldon Cooper.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Valerie Mahaffey, of Northern Exposure and Young Sheldon, Dead at 71
Valerie Mahaffey, a veteran actress whose myriad TV roles included Northern Exposure (for which she won an Emmy, Desperate Housewives and Young Sheldon, died on Friday after a battle with cancer. She was 71. 'I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses,' her husband, actor Joseph Kell, told Variety. 'She will be missed.' More from TVLine M*A*S*H Star Loretta Swit Dead at 87: Alan Alda Pays Tribute to His 'Supremely Talented' Co-Star Phil Robertson, Duck Dynasty Star, Dead at 79 Uche Ojeh, Husband of Today Co-Host Sheinelle Jones, Dead at 45 - Watch On-Air Announcement Mahaffey's first ongoing TV role was as Ashley Bennett in the NBC soap The Doctors, for which she earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1980. She went on to appear in the comedy miniseries Fresno in 1986, had one-offs on series such as Newhart, Cheers and Quantum Leap, and then played Caitlyn Van Horne in the Washington, D.C.-set 1992 sitcom The Powers That Be. On Northern Exposure, she appeared in multiple episodes as hypochondriac Eve, earning her first Emmy win (in the Supporting Actress category). Mahaffey finished out the 1990s with roles on Wings, The Client and ER, kept busy in the aughts with appearances on The West Wing, Frasier, CSI and Private Practice and many other shows, and then had an arc on United States of Tara. In Season 3 of Desperate Housewives she played Orson Hodge's first wife Alma, after which she played Emma's mom on Glee, guested on Hart of Dixie, and had a run on Devious Maids. Mahaffey's more recent TV roles includes The Man in the High Castle, Young Sheldon (as English teacher Victoria MacElroy), Big Sky, Dead to Me and Echo 3. TV Stars We Lost in 2025 View Gallery31 Images Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More
