Piper Laurie, Carrie And Twin Peaks Actor, Dead At 91
Legendary actor Piper Laurie, whose storied career spanned several decades in both film and television, has died at age 91. Her manager, Marion Rosenberg, confirmed the devastating news to People. "Ms. Laurie passed away this morning in Los Angeles. She basically died of old age," he said, adding that the three-time Oscar nominee was an "extraordinary talent and a superb human being." In a separate statement obtained by CNN, Rosenberg hailed Laurie as "one of the finest actresses of her generation." Born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit in 1932, Laurie was among the last surviving performers from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Laurie received her first Oscar nomination for her work in the 1961 poolhall drama "The Hustler," in which she portrayed dispirited alcoholic Sarah Packard opposite Paul Newman. Following a 15-year hiatus from acting — which she spent raising a family and campaigning for the civil rights movement — Laurie resumed her career in the mid-'70s, starring in the horror staple "Carrie," a performance that garnered the actor further accolades, including an Oscar nomination. More recently, audiences were introduced to Laurie as Catherine Martell in the television series "Twin Peaks," for which she was awarded a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations.
With an illustrious spanning seven decades, fans and fellow actors alike are mourning the loss of a true Hollywood legend. More to come...
Fans shared their appreciation for Piper Laurie's legacy.
Losing an icon is never easy — especially when they belong to the diminishing group of the oldest Hollywood stars. However, some deaths — like Piper Laurie's — hit harder than others. Fortunately, based on the reaction to Laurie's untimely passing, she left behind hordes of fans who share an appreciation for her legacy.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan praised Laurie for her ability to play a broad spectrum of characters. "RIP to Piper Laurie, an amazing actress who could play both a damaged love heroine in 'The Hustler' & the monstrous mother in 'Carrie,'" tweeted the fan. A second fan revealed that she'd use "Carrie" as a gateway into Laurie's body of work. "I had not heard of Piper Laurie until 'Carrie' came out, but my Aunt that took us to see 'Carrie' knew who she was and encouraged me to watch her past movies. Fine actress and very effective. Rest easy with peace," tweeted the user.
Writer Illeana Douglas posted a throwback photo of herself and Laurie from a past interview. "So sad to hear of the passing of Piper Laurie. I had the pleasure of interviewing her, afterwords we sat backstage for two hours, discussing the great love of her life a famous Director, her book, and our mutual friend Roddy McDowall. Just a lovely woman, a terrific actress," tweeted Douglass. Sitting for an hour with Piper Laurie at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival is a memory I will forever cherish ..." tweeted commentator Dave Krager.