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Leslie Jordan was honored by his TV family from Will & Grace following his tragic death at the age of 67. After news broke that Leslie died in a car accident on Monday, October 24, Sean Hayes was the first person of Leslie’s co-stars from the iconic NBC sitcom to mourn his passing with a heartfelt social media tribute, but he wasn’t the last.
Leslie starred in Will & Grace as Beverly Leslie, who was often the thorn in Karen Walker’s (Megan Mullally) side when their antics with one another were part of making the show such a continued success. In fact, he won an Emmy for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006 for the role.
Recently, at the Call Me Kat junket, Leslie told HollywoodLife and other outlets how much he wished there would be another reboot of the Will & Grace, this time focused on Karen and his character, Beverly. “Wouldn’t that be fun?” he said. “Yes, I would absolutely be open to it.”
After the news of his passing, the Will & Grace cast members Debra Messing, Sean Hayes, Eric McCormack, and his close friend Megan Mullally honored their special bonds with Leslie as they, along with the rest of the world, mourn the loss of the beloved actor and comedian.
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally took to Instagram to share a fun throwback photo and pour her heart out over the sudden loss of her former costar. “My heart is breaking,” the star wrote alongside a pic in a black catsuit, alongside Leslie, wearing a red fringed cowboy suit. “i really can’t believe it. leslie jordan was, hands down, one of the greats. people use that expression a lot, and i’m not sure it’s always applicable. there aren’t that many people who are truly great at anything. but leslie was flawlessly funny, a virtuoso of comedy. his timing, his delivery, all apparently effortless. you can’t get any better than that. and what a friendly, fun-loving, dear person.
Megan then heartbreakingly related a recent memory with the beloved actor. “I was just with him last month,” she continued in the post. “The prestigious national book festival was showcasing leslie and his best-selling book in washington d.c., and he’d asked me to come interview him for his event. i’d done my prep, but it was all completely unnecessary, of course, as i just had to barely unleash him and he went off on a series of absolutely hilarious stories that had the very large audience in hysterics for a solid hour. off-stage, he was so relaxed and happy, there with his best friend mike. he truly seemed so happy. how brilliant it was that millions of people were able to discover the real leslie and his love of life and unparalleled story-telling abilities on instagram. he had so much to share, and it meant so much to him that finally he’d found a vehicle through which to share it. he was absolutely unique. one of a kind. thank you to all of his fans! he really loved you all and was so genuinely appreciative of you. i’m so so glad that i got to spend some time with leslie that day before and after the event, just us, catching up. i felt such a deep affection for him that day; he was so warm and present and darling. as we were leaving, i got a couple more big hugs and told him i loved him, as usual. so glad! what a gift!
and so. love you, leslie. miss you already. and one thing i know for sure… there will never ever be another you.”
Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes, who played Jack MacFarland on Will & Grace, was the first cast member to react to Leslie’s death. Sean shared a throwback photo of the duo together to Instagram alongside a heartfelt message about Leslie’s passing. “My heart is broken. Leslie Jordan was one of the funniest people I ever had the pleasure of working with,” Sean wrote. “Everyone who ever met him, loved him. There will never be anyone like him. A unique talent with an enormous, caring heart. Leslie, you will be missed, my dear friend. 😔❤️.”
Debra Messing
Like Meghan and Sean, Debra posted a beautiful photo of herself sharing a scene with Leslie on the set of Will & Grace on her Instagram. In the caption, she spoke about her grief and how much she would miss her friend.
“How can this be?” she wrote in the caption. ” Oh dear dear Leslie, the whole world has dimmed. The joy & delight you have brought into my life has been a beautiful gift. I wish I had the words…. Fly with the angels, friend. And sing, sing, sing.”
Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack, who played Will Truman on Will & Grace, posted a photo of him and Leslie out to lunch in London back in 2014. “RIP you sweet, hilarious man. We all adored you. 💔,” Eric wrote. He also tagged co-star Debra Messing and Will & Grace creator Max Mutchnick.
Eric shared a separate tribute to Leslie on Twitter. “Crushed to learn about the loss of @thelesliejordan, the funniest & flirtiest southern gent I’ve ever known. The joy and laughter he brought to every one of his #WillandGrace episodes was palpable. Gone about thirty years too soon. You were loved, sweet man,” he wrote.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato, who appeared in Will & Grace when the show returned for three reunion seasons from 2017 to 2020, also honored Leslie on social media.
“My sweet Leslie… Your smile and personality lit up the room when I met you,” Demi wrote. “I’m so glad we remained friends after meeting not long ago… we had more plans but our time was cut short. You will be so dearly missed by so many. I’m so honored to call you a friend. I love you sweet angel.” Demi also included two selfies of the pair smiling together.