So tragic
Beloved comedian, actor and social media star Leslie Jordan suddenly passed away on Monday evening after being involved in a Hollywood car crash.
The star, known for his roles in Will and Grace and American Horror Story, was killed in a fatal car crash in Los Angeles on Monday morning, US media reported.
Fans expressed their heartbreak as Leslie, who recently shared his joy over finally being able to buy a house, was looking forward to releasing a new project.
He shared a snippet a day before his death. In the clip he sang a teaser of his new song. The video was captioned: “Sunday Mornin’ Hymn Singin’ with @dannymyrick. Danny helped me with a new original song that should be comin’ out real soon. Love. Leslie.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkDnb4_AYUt/?hl=en
Police told the LA Times that Jordan’s car crashed into the side of a building and he was declared dead at the scene.
His publicist said the world had become a “darker place” with his loss.
“Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times,” David Shaul said. “Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today.”
Officers added that it was unclear whether Jordan was killed in the collision, or whether he had suffered from a medical emergency beforehand.
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1955, he came out as gay to his mother aged 12 in the deeply conservative US state. “I told my mother I thought something was up. I didn’t even know the word ‘gay,'” he told People magazine last year.
“She didn’t pull her Bible out, which I thought she would. She said, ‘I’m just really afraid that if you choose this path, you’ll be ridiculed,'” he recalled, adding that she told him to “‘just live your life quietly.’ I didn’t follow her advice on that one.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkG-tMgOI-y/?hl=en
His fame grew while starring in the US sitcom Will and Grace as Beverley Leslie – a role for which he won a Primetime Emmy in 2006.
During the pandemic, Jordan also found fame among younger audiences as a social media star, posting daily updates while quarantining in his apartment in his home town of Chattanooga.
Posting twice a day, Jordan racked up over 5.8 million followers on Instagram reflecting on his life, offering commentary on pop music and crafting dance routines.
“A friend of mine called from California and said, ‘You have gone viral.’ And I said, ‘No, honey, I’m fine. I don’t have Covid,'” he joked in one video.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CeG_AUUAm3w/?hl=en
Hollywood stars were quick to pay tribute to Jordan, with his Will and Grace co-star Sean Hayes hailing him as “one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with”.
“Everyone who ever met him, loved him,” Hayes added. “There will never be anyone like him. A unique talent with an enormous, caring heart. You will be missed, my dear friend.”
“Leslie, we are heartbroken at your loss and will miss your mirth and your inimitable spirit,” said Star Trek actor George Takei on Twitter.
And RuPaul’s Drag Race – the show on which Jordan starred as a guest judge – wrote on Twitter: “Rest in peace, Leslie Jordan. Thank you for the countless laughs and for sharing your spirit with us all.”
Related links
RELATED ARTICLES
MORE FROM JOE
MORE FROM JOE
