A Look Into Kirstie Alley's Final Television Appearance Before Her Death
Kirstie Alley enjoyed a great career in Hollywood, and she was always a recognizable figure in both television and in film. Perhaps her most well-known role came in the '80s, when she played the role of Rebecca Howe in the hit series "Cheers." Alley also starred in several films, such as "Look Who's Talking," "It Takes Two," and "Drop Dead Gorgeous." According to her IMDb profile, Alley starred in her final film in 2020, playing the part of Suzanne in the Lifetime movie, "You Can't Take My Daughter."
But on December 5, the entertainment industry learned that Alley had died at 71. Alley's children shared a surprising and emotional post to announce Alley's death, noting that she underwent a short bout with cancer, which she had "only recently discovered." The two tugged at heartstrings, writing, "Our mother's zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did." While the family asked for privacy following Alley's death, her rep shared a few new details the following day, including Alley's official cause of death — colon cancer, per People.
Several stars like Jamie Lee Curtis have taken to social media to remember the late star, who worked very hard up until her death.
Kirstie Alley dressed up as a baby mammoth on The Masked Singer
Kirstie Alley worked in the months leading up to her death, with her most recent television appearance coming seven months before she died — likely before she received a diagnosis of colon cancer. According to the New York Post, Alley appeared on "The Masked Singer" in April. She opted for a cozy-looking baby mammoth costume and sang her rendition of Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight." She also belted out Meghan Trainor's hit "Me Too" in another episode of the series, in addition to Cher's "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)."
Alley spoke about her appearance and why she chose to join the fun-filled show in a video clip. "I came on "Masked Singer" because about 10 years ago, I realized I always had to keep mixing my career, my life up or it was going to get really mundane or really boring fast," she said. "So I guess I finally got up the nerve to do it." Alley confessed that she did not love wearing the costume, but shejoked that it made her sing "like a cat in heat."
The star took to Instagram to promote the show on a few occasions, including in May, around the time she appeared on it. "Who is it going to be????" she asked in a post that included photos from the show. A few months later, she used her final Instagram post to promote the new season of the series.