BELOVED comedic actor Leslie Jordan died at age 67 following a car crash in Los Angeles on Monday morning.
Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Jordan began his Hollywood career in the 80s and got his big break in sitcom Murphy Brown. He went on to appear in various comedic television shows, and was most known for his role as Beverley Leslie in Will & Grace.
During the early days of the lockdown, he posted videos a few times a day and amassed a big following of 5.8 million Instagram followers.
Jordan’s internet fame led to a book deal, 2021’s How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived. In his book, Jordan detailed his personal struggles with humour.
He said that his battles with alcoholism and ending up in jail has stemmed from growing up gay in conservative Tennessee.
Jordan’s latest television show was Call Me Kat where he plays Phil, and following word of his death, the network announced that production was indefinitely paused, and praised the entertainer for bringing “pure joy and huge smiles to millions of people around the world.”
Call Me Kat co-star Mayim Bialik wrote: “They broke the mold when they made Leslie Jordan. He was a dear mentor and a beloved friend. I will miss him so much – it’s unimaginable that he’s gone. Rest well, sweet buddy.”
Former co-stars on Will & Grace Megan Mullally, Eric McCormack, and Sean Hayes also paid tribute to Jordan.
Mullally said: “How brilliant it was that millions of people were able to discover the real Leslie and his love of life and unparalleled story-telling abilities on instagram. He had so much to share and it meant so much to him that he’d finally found a vehicle to share it.”
McCormack said he was “crushed” to learn about the death of “the funniest and flirtiest southern gent” he’s ever known, and Hayes wrote that “there will never be anyone like him” and that Jordan was “a unique talent with an enormous, caring heart.”
