In Memoriam

‘Arrested Development' Actress, Emmy Winner Jessica Walter Dies at 80

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica," her daughter, Brooke Bowman, said in a statement.

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Award-winning actress Jessica Walter, whose career spanned six decades in film and television, has died at the age of 80.

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica," her daughter, Brooke Bowman, said in a statement.

"A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off.  While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”

Walter's performance as Lucille Bluth in the popular "Arrested Development," earned her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress and two Screen Actors Guild awards nominations. 

She won an Emmy for her performance in "Amy Prentiss."

Walter was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1941 and began her career on the stage with a Broadway debut in 1963.

She later moved to TV and movies, earning accolades for her performances in "Play Misty for Me," "Grand Prix" and "The Group."

In recent years, she also voiced the character of Mallory Archer on FX's animated series "Archer."

Walter had one child, her daughter Brooke Bowman, with her first husband Ross Bowman, a former Broadway stage manager and television director.

She later married actor Ron Leibman in 1983 and they remained married until his death in 2019.

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