Leslie Jordan, actor and comedian, dies in car crash at age 67: reports
Leslie Jordan, a veteran TV and movie actor who became a social media star during the coronavirus pandemic, died in a car accident on Monday at age 67, according to reports by Variety, TMZ and other media outlets.
“Jordan was driving in Hollywood Monday morning and crashed into the side of a building at Cahuenga Blvd. and Romain St.,” Variety said. “It was suspected he suffered some sort of medical emergency.”
Jordan, a Tennessee native, earned fame for his roles in TV series such as “Will & Grace,” “Hearts Afire,” “Call Me Kat” and the “American Horror Story” franchise. The diminutive actor also appeared in movies such as “The Help” (where he played Mr. Blackly, a newspaper editor who hires main character Skeeter Phelan), “Sordid Lives,” “Southern Baptist Sissies” and more.
Jordan won a Emmy Award in 2006 (as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series) for his work on “Will & Grace,” where he portrayed Beverly Leslie, the conniving “frenemy” of Grace’s rich assistant, Karen.
In 2021, Jordan received the Timeless Star award from GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics. It goes to “an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit,” according to the society’s website.
For many, though, Jordan’s greatest fame is linked to social media, as he made viewers laugh with videos posted during the coronavirus pandemic. Jordan earned nearly 6 million followers on Instagram, telling jokes, making observations about life and commenting on current events.
Jordan, who was also a writer and singer, released a gospel album, “Company’s Comin’,” in 2021. His final Instagram video, posted Sunday, shows him performing with guitarist and songwriter Danny Myrick.