The Tragic Death Of Wings Star Farrah Forke

Actor Farrah Forke, who was best-remembered for her role on "Wings," died of cancer on February 25 at 54 years old, per Variety. According to the outlet, she was at home in Texas. Forke played helicopter pilot Alex Lambert in Seasons 4-6 of the beloved NBC sitcom in the '90s. Her "Wings" character was the love interest of the two lead characters, brothers Joe and Brian Hackett, and eventually chose to be with Brian.

Once Forke's death was announced, fans of the show took to social media to remember the actor. "Sigh. Farewell, Farrah Forke. Only 54. I really liked her on Wings," one Twitter user wrote. "RIP Farrah Forke (Wings on TV) #F***Cancer," another added. Although portraying Alex on "Wings" was arguably Forke's most memorable role, she had parts on several high-profile projects. In the mid-'90s she appeared on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" as Mayson Drake, and had a starring role in the short-lived sitcom "Dweebs" in 1995, per IMDb.

Forke stayed busy 'til the end of the decade when she appeared on three episodes of "Party of Five," but her on-screen performances dried up soon after. This led many fans to wonder why the talented actor stepped away from the spotlight.

Why Farrah Forke left Hollywood

For three seasons, Farrah Forke's Alex Lambert was a central figure on "Wings," so fans were somewhat shocked when she was removed from the show without a proper sendoff. "In last week's show, feisty Alex (Farrah Forke) was unceremoniously dumped by producers, her absence explained by a Dear John note to former boyfriend Brian Hackett," Variety wrote in 1994 while trying to make sense of Forke's departure.

In addition to landing the starring role on the show "Dweebs" in 1995, Forke continued to find work, but around the turn of the century, she became disenchanted with the industry. While filming 2001's "It Is What It Is," the actor left Hollywood for New Mexico. "I lost it. I was in the middle of that movie, but I had to get out of L.A.," she told E Truth in 2003. Although the getaway was supposed to be a short reprieve, Forke wound up staying in New Mexico long-term. She enjoyed the change of pace away from Tinseltown. "Julia Roberts lives down the road, but there is nobody right around me. For a long time, I had no TV," she told the outlet.

Despite taking time away from the spotlight, fans still remember and cherish Forke's time in Hollywood.