It’s been confirmed that actress Kirstie Alley has died at age 71. She passed away following a battle with cancer, which was “only recently discovered.”
This was confirmed by her family via social media. They wrote a statement to all of their “friends, far and wide around the world,” to deliver the news. They also noted that Alley “was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength.”
Here’s the statement:
“To all our friends, far and wide around the world… We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” it began. “She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead. As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”
They continued to share their gratitude with “the incredible team of doctors and nurses” that cared for Kirstie Alley. She was receiving treatment at the Moffitt Cancer Center.
“We are grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at the Moffitt Cancer Center for their care,” the statement continues. “Our mother’s zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as she did. We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) December 6, 2022
Star Trek fans will certainly recognize the beloved actress for her role in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Her career quickly continued with appearances in Blind Date and the miniseries North and South. Then, just two years later, she starred in the hit comedy film Summer School. Of course, one of her most iconic roles of all was on the hit series Cheers. Her character on that series, Rebecca Howe, is considered her breakout role. She even received an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 as a result.
A few of her other film roles include Runaway, Loverboy, the film Look Who’s Talking in addition to its sequels Look Who’s Talking Too and Look Who’s Talking Now, and John Carpenter’s Village of the Damned. Her final film role was the 2015 flick Accidental Love. On television, a few of her most recent appearances include Scream Queens, The Goldbergs, and most recently The Masked Singer.
With such a varied career, it’s no wonder why she left such a mark on the film and television industry. Of course, as mentioned by her family in the statement above, “she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.”