West News Wire: Leslie Jordan, an actor best known for his work on the TV shows “Will & Grace” and “American Horror Story,” has passed away. His droll Southern drawl and adaptability made him a standout in both comedy and drama. The Emmy-winning actor was 67 years old when his videos during the pandemic made him a social media celebrity.
Without Leslie Jordan’s love and light, the world would undoubtedly be a much darker place today. He was not only a tremendous talent and a pleasure to work with, but he also offered the country an emotional haven through one of its most trying moments, according to a statement released by Jordan on Monday.
The native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, who won an outstanding guest actor Emmy in 2005 for his part as Beverly Leslie in “Will & Grace,” had a recurring role on the Mayim Bialik comedy “Call Me Kat” and starred on the sitcom “The Cool Kids.”
Jordan’s other eclectic credits include “Hearts Afire,” “Boston Legal,” “Fantasy Island” and “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” He played various roles on the “American Horror Story” series.
Production on Fox’s “Call Me Kat” was suspended following Jordan’s death. He had completed work on nine episodes.
He died Monday in a single car crash in the Hollywood area, according to reports by celebrity website TMZ and the Los Angeles Times, citing unidentified law enforcement sources.
Stars of “Will & Grace” mourned his loss.
“My heart is broken,” Sean Hayes tweeted. “Everyone who ever met him, loved him. There will never be anyone like him. A unique talent with an enormous, caring heart. You will be missed, my dear friend.”
“Crushed to learn about the loss of @thelesliejordan, the funniest & flirtiest southern gent I’ve ever known,” tweeted Eric McCormack. “The joy and laughter he brought to every one of his #WillandGrace episodes was palpable.”
The chief executive of GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy group, lauded Jordan as a talented entertainer who “charmed audiences for decades with heartfelt characters on-screen and passionate LGBTQ advocacy off-screen.”
Jordan was intent on helping to increase LGBTQ visibility in his native South and served as grand marshal for the Nashville AIDS Walk last year, Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD president and CEO, said in a statement.
Jordan earned an unexpected new following in 2021 when the longtime Los Angeles resident area spent time during the pandemic lockdown near family in his hometown. He broke the sameness by posting daily videos of himself on Instagram.
Many of Jordan’s videos included him asking “How ya’ll 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.
“Someone called from California and said, ’Oh, honey, you’ve gone viral.’ And I said, ’No, no, I don’t have COVID. I’m just in Tennessee,” said Jordan. Celebrities including Michelle Pfeiffer, Jessica Alba and Anderson Cooper, along with brands such as Reebok and Lululemon, would post comments.
Soon he became fixated with the number of views and followers he had, because there wasn’t much else going on. By the time of his death, he amassed 5.8 million followers on Instagram and another 2.3 million on TikTok.
His big break came playing the role of a hapless ex-con in a 1989 episode of “Murphy Brown.”
