The adored Emmy-winning actress Valerie Mahaffey, who starred in shows including Young Sheldon, Desperate Housewives, and Northern Exposure, has away at the age of 71.
Her publicist, Jillian Roscoe, announced that she died on May 30 in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Mahaffey has been fighting cancer.
“America Has Lost One of Its Most Endearing Actresses”
Mahaffey’s husband, fellow actor Joseph Kell, paid tribute in a moving statement: “I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed.”
Alice Richards is the couple’s only child.
Friends and colleagues described Mahaffey as “naturally kind-hearted” and a woman who “exuded a warm and infectious energy.”
On social media, fans also posted sincere homages, complimenting her on her ability to add distinctive character to each part.
“No matter the episode count or number of lines she would have, Valerie Mahaffey made an impression,” one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“She was always JUST right no matter what she was working in,” said another.
“When her name came up on the screen, my heart jumped with delight,” added a third.
“She was in EVERYTHING! And no one did soft spoken, passive aggressive viciousness better! So sad to hear she’s passed and only 71. RIP,” one fan wrote on X.
An Award-Winning Career on Screen and Stage
Mahaffey was born in Indonesia on June 16, 1953, and lived there for her early years before relocating to Nigeria, England, and finally the United States. After earning her degree from the University of Texas in 1975, she immediately began a lucrative performing career in New York City.
Between 1976 and 1984, she made six Broadway appearances, including prominent parts in Harold Prince’s Play Memory and Dracula with Raul Julia. Her Off-Broadway roles in Talking Heads and Top Girls garnered her two Obie Awards.
Mahaffey gained notoriety on television as Ashley Bennett in the NBC soap opera The Doctors, which ran from 1979 to 1981 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy. Her breakthrough performance was in CBS’s Northern Exposure, where she won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1992 for her depiction of Eve, a funny hypochondriac. She received an Emmy, making her the only cast member to do so.
TV and Film Roles That Spanned Decades
Mahaffey was a multifaceted actor who gave rich, quirky characters nuance and charm. Among her recurrent TV credits are:
- Alma Hodge on Desperate Housewives
- Victoria MacElroy on Young Sheldon
- Lorna Harding on Netflix’s Dead to Me
- Olivia Rice on Devious Maids
- Emma Pillsbury’s mother on Glee
Seinfeld, Frasier, The West Wing, Big Sky, Quantum Leap, ER, Law & Order: SVU, Cheers, Boston Legal, and Private Practice are just a few of the well-known shows on which she has appeared.
In addition to her notable roles in Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Seabiscuit (2003), Sully (2016), No Pay, Nudity (2016), and the dark comedy French Exit (2020), alongside Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges, Mahaffey’s resume also includes other noteworthy roles. She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her performance as Madame Reynard. Alongside her daughter, she co-produced and appeared in the 2010 film Summer Eleven.
Her most recent on-screen roles were in the 2025 movie The 8th Day and the Apple TV+ series Echo 3.
At this time, we are sending our condolences to Mahaffey’s family, friends, and loved ones.
