‘Will and Grace’ star Leslie Jordan dead at 67 after car crash, reports say. ‘Stunned’
Actor Leslie Jordan, 67, died Monday, Oct. 24, several media outlets have reported.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that around 9:30 a.m. a car struck a wall in the area of Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street. A male adult was pronounced dead at the scene but police would not confirm his identity.
Both Variety and Page Six confirmed Jordan’s death.
David Shaul, Jordan’s publicist, also confirmed the actor’s death to NPR.
“Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation,” Shaul said.
Jordan was driving a BMW when he crashed into a building, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It was not immediately clear if Jordan suffered a medical emergency before the collision, but he appears to have lost control of the vehicle before the wreck, sources told the Times.
Jordan, born April 29, 1955, is known for his role in “Hearts Afire,” “Will and Grace” and “American Horror Story.”
Most recently, the actor played a regular role on Mayim Bialik’s current series, “Call Me Kat.” He also appeared on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” In 2006, Jordan won an Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series” for playing “Beverley Leslie” on “Will and Grace.”
He was raised in Tennessee in the Southern Baptist Church, which was a struggle at times, he said in a 2014 interview with Philadelphia Magazine.
“I really wanted to be a really good Christian,” Jordan, who was openly gay, said. “I was baptized 14 times. Every time the preacher would say, ‘Come forward, sinners!,’ I’d say ‘Oooh, I was out in the woods with that boy, I better go forward.’”
Despite the difficulties of his church upbringing, Jordan did not shy away from being his authentic self.
“Honey, I fell out of the womb, into my mother’s high heels! You know what I mean?” he said in a 2021 NPR interview. “I told my mother when I was about 12, I thought she might pull out the Bible. That’s what I thought would happen ... not at all. Not at all. She was so wise.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan became popular on social media with his humorous and sometimes over-the-top videos. He amassed 2.3 million TikTok followers and 5.8 million Instagram followers.
Following the news of his death, celebrities took to social media to remember Jordan.
On Sunday, Oct. 23, the actor shared a video of him signing a hymn on his Instagram.
“Sunday Mornin’ Hymn Singin’,” he wrote. “Love. Light. Leslie.”
This story was originally published October 24, 2022 at 1:50 PM with the headline "‘Will and Grace’ star Leslie Jordan dead at 67 after car crash, reports say. ‘Stunned’."
