Leslie Jordan: Will and Grace star dies aged 67

The US histrion and comedian Leslie Jordan has died aged 67, his cause has confirmed.

The star, known for his roles successful Will and Grace and American Horror Story, was killed successful a fatal car clang successful Los Angeles connected Monday morning, US media reported.

Police told the LA Times that Jordan's car crashed into the broadside of a gathering and helium was declared dormant astatine the scene.

His cause said the satellite is simply a "darker place" with his loss.

"Not lone was helium a mega endowment and joyousness to enactment with, but helium provided an affectional sanctuary to the federation astatine 1 of its astir hard times," David Shaul said. "Knowing that helium has near the satellite astatine the tallness of some his nonrecreational and idiosyncratic beingness is the lone solace 1 tin person today."

Officers added that it was unclear whether Jordan was killed successful the collision, oregon whether helium had suffered from a aesculapian exigency beforehand.

Born successful Chattanooga, Tennessee successful 1955, helium came retired arsenic cheery to his parent aged 12 successful the profoundly blimpish US state. "I told my parent I thought thing was up. I didn't adjacent cognize the connection 'gay,'" helium told People mag past year.

"She didn't propulsion her Bible out, which I thought she would. She said, 'I'm conscionable truly acrophobic that if you take this path, you'll beryllium ridiculed,'" helium recalled, adding that she told him to "'just unrecorded your beingness quietly.' I didn't travel her proposal connected that one."

After graduating from the University of Tennessee successful 1982 helium moved to Los Angeles and worked his mode done a assortment of roles, earlier getting his breakout portion connected the play Murphy Brown. He was noted for his diminutive tallness - lasting astatine conscionable 4ft 11 successful (1.50 metres) - and often played flamboyant characters.

His fame grew portion starring successful the US sitcom Will and Grace arsenic Beverley Leslie - a relation for which helium won a Primetime Emmy successful 2006.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jordan besides recovered fame among younger audiences arsenic a societal media star, posting regular updates portion quarantining successful his flat successful his location municipality of Chattanooga.

Posting doubly a day, Jordan racked up implicit 5.8 cardinal followers connected Instagram reflecting connected his life, offering commentary connected popular euphony and crafting creation routines.

"A person of excavation called from California and said, 'You person gone viral.' And I said, 'No, honey, I'm fine. I don't person Covid,'" helium joked successful 1 video.

He often spoke openly astir his battles with substance maltreatment - taking his archetypal portion aged conscionable 14 - and erstwhile humorously recalled ending up successful a jailhouse compartment adjacent to Robert Downey Jnr portion the Iron Man prima was battling addiction. "I'm partially liable for his success," Jordan aboriginal joked.

He became sober successful the 1990s, and aboriginal spoke to CNN big Anderson Cooper of his conflict against addiction.

"People accidental 'Well however bash you get sober, what's the champion way,'" Jordan said. "Yeah, good 120 days successful the jailhouse successful Los Angeles. That volition sober you up."

A big of Hollywood stars were speedy to wage tribute to Jordan, with his Will and Grace co-star Sean Hayes hailing him arsenic "one of the funniest radical I ever had the pleasance of moving with".

"Everyone who ever met him, loved him," Hayes added. "There volition ne'er beryllium anyone similar him. A unsocial endowment with an enormous, caring heart. You volition beryllium missed, my beloved friend."

"Leslie, we are heartbroken astatine your nonaccomplishment and volition miss your mirth and your inimitable spirit," said Star Trek histrion George Takei connected Twitter.

And RuPaul's Drag Race - the amusement connected which Jordan starred arsenic a impermanent justice - wrote connected Twitter: "Rest successful peace, Leslie Jordan. Thank you for the countless laughs and for sharing your tone with america all."