We’re sad to share that actor, writer, and singer Leslie Jordan passed away unexpectedly today at the age of 67. Born as one of three triplets in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 29th, 1955, the 4’11″ personality moved to Hollywood in the early 1980s and made a name for himself on the hit NBC series Will & Grace as Beverly Leslie, Karen Walker’s nemesis, a role which earned him an Emmy. A multi-hyphenate talent, Leslie Jordan was an accomplished actor of the stage and screen, a published author and playwright, and a recording artist.
(Leslie Jordan)
On television, Leslie Jordan spent much of his early career in guest roles including on ABC sitcoms like Coach, Ellen, Dharma & Greg, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Reba. Even after making a name for himself, he continued to appear in delightful guest roles on many of Disney’s networks, including ABC’s Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives, and The Neighbors; Disney Channel’s Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover; and Freeform’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Baby Daddy. Recurring roles also included The Cool Kids for 20th Television and several installments of the FX anthology series American Horror Story. At the time of his passing, Leslie Jordan was a series regular on the FOX series Call Me Kat.
One of Leslie Jordan’s most fruitful efforts was the role of Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in Del Shores’ Sordid Lives. The character allowed Jordan to explore his Southern roots and homosexuality on stage and in the filmed version. The cult classic led to reprising the role in both a prequel series and a sequel film. Cast mates of these projects included Olivia Newton-John, Delta Burke, Beau Bridges, Rue McClanahan, Caroline Rhea, Beth Grant, and Whoopi Goldberg.
As a playwright, many of Leslie Jordan’s shows were autobiographical in nature. He wrote and starred in the musical Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far, which included original music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward. Another of his plays, Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, was adapted as a film with Leslier serving as the narrator. His one-man shows included My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (produced by Lily Tomlin)and Like a Dog on Linoleum. Other career highlights include the role of Mr. Blackly in The Help, Reginald Lord Devine in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, and as a voice in Disney’s Home on the Range.
In music, Leslie Jordan’s dream of recording an album came true in 2021 with Company’s Comin’, a collection of music he grew up with that featured duets with Dolly Parton, Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker, and Eddie Vedder. He also recorded a holiday single of “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” with his Call Me Kat co-star Cheyenne Jackson. He hosted an Apple Music Radio series called Hunker Down with Leslie Jordan. He published a memoir last year titled How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived.
Leslie Jordan’s untimely death was due to a car accident, believed to be the result of a medical emergency. He is survived by his mother Peggy Ann Jordan and his triplet sisters Janet and Jana. As somewhat of a final act, Leslie Jordan became a social media sensation, sharing lighthearted videos on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to inspire others to be kind to one another and to add a little sunshine to their day.
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