Leslie Jordan: 'Will and Grace' Star Dies Aged 67

Leslie Jordan, known for his role in Will and Grace, was killed after his car crashed into a tree in Hollywood on 24th October 2022, reported Tmz.

"The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan," David Shaul said. "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," said his agent, Don LeClair.

Jordan, 67, was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:38 a.m. after firefighters responding to reports of a collision at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street found him "pulseless and non-breathing" in a gray sedan, authorities said. His agent said it is suspected that Jordan suffered "some sort of medical emergency" that caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

His agent further added told Reuters that Jordan was on his way to the Warner Bros studio set of the Fox television series Call Me Kat at the time of the accident. Jordan played Phil, the head baker at Kat's cafe, in the show which was based on the British hit sitcom Miranda. Production on series three has now been paused, according to Variety.

Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1955, he came out as gay to his mother age of 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."

The beloved actor and comedian had a decades-long career on stage and screen, appearing in films including "The Help," "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" and "Fear Inc." He played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram on stage in "Sordid Lives" and later took the role to the big screen. His TV roles showed his comedic range and he took scene-stealing parts in "Reba," "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Monk," "George Lopez," "Ugly Betty" and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager."

The diminutive Tennessee native, who won an outstanding guest actor Emmy in 2005 for NBC's "Will & Grace," most recently starred opposite "Big Bang Theory" alum and star Mayim Bialik on Fox's "Call Me Kat" as the new single head baker at Kat's diner. The Fox sitcom was renewed for a third season, which premiered in September. Jordan had taped eight of 22 episodes planned this season for "Kat" and was working on the ninth at the time of his death.

The Southern character actor became a social media sensation in recent years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan documented his time in quarantine and his hilarious and relatable rants on Instagram captured collective hearts around the world. He broke the sameness by posting daily videos of himself on Instagram.

Many of Jordan’s videos included him asking "How y'all doin?" and some included stories about Hollywood or his childhood growing up with identical twin sisters and their "mama," as he called her. Other times he did silly bits like complete an indoor obstacle course.
Earlier this month he released a gospel album called "Company’s Comin'" featuring Dolly Parton, Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, Eddie Vedder and Tanya Tucker. His 2021 memoir, "How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief From a Life Well Lived," reached the USA TODAY Best-Selling Books list.