Alley has died aged 71 shortly after discovering she had cancer.
We’re saying goodbye today to Kirstie Alley, one of the most familiar and beloved faces on TV. “We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer,” a statement released by her two children last night read.
“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.”
Alley, who was 71 years old, won an Emmy for her star-making role on Cheers, and went on to star in films like Look Who’s Talking, opposite John Travolta. She was known for being outspoken and occasionally straying into controversial territory. In a 2007 interview with Good Housekeeping she explained that her approach was simply the most straightforward one, saying:
“I’ve always felt like if someone asks me something, they want the real answer. I think there’s also something about being from Kansas. Usually people think I’m from New York. The only similarity between New Yorkers and Midwesterners is that what you see is what you get.”
We’ve got tributes from Travolta, her Cheers co-star Ted Danson, and others, below.
Ted Danson
“I was on a plane today and did something I rarely do. I watched an old episode of Cheers,” Danson who played Sam Malone on the iconic show, told Deadline in a statement. “It was the episode where Tom Berenger proposes to Kirstie, who keeps saying no, even though she desperately wants to say yes. Kirstie was truly brilliant in it.
Her ability to play a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown was both moving and hysterically funny. She made me laugh 30 years ago when she shot that scene, and she made me laugh today just as hard. As I got off the plane, I heard that Kirstie had died. I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold. I will miss her.”
Rhea Perlman
“Kirstie was a unique and wonderful person and friend. Her joy of being was boundless,” Perlman, who played Carla Tortelli on Cheers, told CNN. “We became friends almost instantly when she joined the cast of Cheers. She loved kids and my kids loved her too. We had sleepovers at her house, with treasure hunts that she created. She had massive Halloween and Easter parties and invited the entire crew of the show and their families. She wanted everyone to feel included. She loved her children deeply. I’ve never met anyone remotely like her. I feel so thankful to have known her. I’m going to miss her very, very much.”
Jamie Lee Curtis
Curtis worked alongside Alley in 2016, when they shot episodes of the satirical black comedy slasher show Scream Queens together.
“She was a great comic foil in @tvscreamqueens and a beautiful mama bear in her very real life,” she posted on Facebook. “She helped me buy onesies for my family that year for Christmas. We agreed to disagree about some things but had a mutual respect and connection. Sad news.”
John Travolta
John Travolta took to Instagram to express his feelings toward his Look Who’s Talking and Look Who’s Talking Too co-star.
“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had,” he wrote. “I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.”
Parker Stevenson
Stevenson, a former Baywatch star who was married to Alley from 1983 to 1997 and is the father to her daughter and son, posted a heartfelt message on Instagram upon the news of her death.
“Kirstie, I am so grateful for our years together, and for the two incredibly beautiful children and now grandchildren that we have. You will be missed,” he said.
Josh Gad
Josh Gad, best known for stunning performances in Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, and the Broadway hit The Book of Mormon, tweeted: “My heart breaks for Kirstie and her family. Whether it was her brilliance in ‘Cheers; or her magnetic performance in the ‘Look Who’s Talking’ franchise, her smile was always infectious, her laugh was always contagious and her charisma was always iconic. RIP.”
