Jessica Walter, who played the favorite matriarch Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development, passed away in her NYC home today.
The actress was 80 years old, and died in her sleep. She was born and grew up in Brooklyn, and started her career right here in NYC, where she was in Broadway shows like Neil Simon’s Rumors, Advise and Consent, andPhoto Finish. Later in her career, she starred in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes, which won several Tony awards.
Though she enjoyed roles in Clint Eastwood’s Play Misty for Me and was nominated for Emmy awards for Trapper John M..D. and Streets of San Francisco, most recently she was renowned for her role as the hilarious Lucille Bluth from cult-favorite Arrested Development. She also voiced Malory Archer on Archer.
Her daughter Brooke Bowman made the following statement, according to Deadline:
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”
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