'Dead to Me' actor Valerie Mahaffey dies at 71
What's the story
Valerie Mahaffey, the Emmy-winning Hollywood actor known for her roles in Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon, and Dead to Me, among others, has passed away at 71. She was battling cancer. The news of her demise was confirmed by publicist Jillian Roscoe on Friday night (local time). May she rest in peace.
Career highlights
Mahaffey's notable roles in 'Northern Exposure' and 'Desperate Housewives'
Mahaffey's career spanned several decades, during which she played memorable roles on television. From 1991-94, she appeared in five episodes of CBS's Northern Exposure over three seasons. Her role as Eve, wife of Adam Arkin's character, earned her a supporting actress Emmy in 1992. She also played Alma Hodge on ABC's Desperate Housewives from 2006-07 and Victoria MacElroy on CBS's Young Sheldon from 2017-20.
Diverse roles
Mahaffey's film and theater career
Mahaffey's film credits include Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Seabiscuit (2003), Summer Eleven (2010), Sully (2016), and No Pay, Nudity (2016). She was also a part of If I Were You (2012) and A Previous Engagement (2008). She also had a successful theater career, appearing on Broadway six times from 1976-84 in productions such as Dracula and Play Memory.
Personal details
Mahaffey's personal life and final role
Born in 1953 in Indonesia, Mahaffey began her acting career in New York City and was a regular on the 1992-93 Norman Lear-produced NBC series The Powers That Be. One of her last roles was as Lorna Harding, Christina Applegate's mother-in-law, on Netflix's Dead to Me. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Kell, and daughter Alice. "I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses,' Kell said in a statement.