by American actress Kirstie Alley has died of cancer at the age of 71, according to her family.
A statement posted on social media through her official accounts described her as an “incredible, fierce and loving mother.”
Alley was surrounded by her closest family members, the statement said.
She was best known for her starring role as Rebecca Howe on the NBC sitcom Cheers from 1987 to 1993, and received both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for the role in 1991.
In 2018, she participated in the 22nd series of UK Celebrity Big Brother, in which she finished as runner-up.
“As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother,” the statement read.
“To all of our friends far and wide across the world… We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother passed away after a recently discovered battle with cancer,” the statement reads. declaration.
“She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with the certainty of her infinite joy of life and whatever adventure awaited her.
The family’s statement goes on to thank the “incredible” team of doctors and nurses at Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida for their care.
“Our mother’s enthusiasm and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many pets, not to mention her eternal joy to create, are unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest just as it did did her,” he continued.
“We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
In addition to her starring role in Cheers, Alley appeared in various films throughout the 80s and 90s.
These included the 1989 romantic comedy Look Who’s Talking, in which she co-starred with John Travolta.
The pair reprized their roles for the two film sequels Look Who’s Talking Too Much (1990) and Look Who’s Talking Now (1993),
In an online tribute, Travolta said his time with Alley represented “one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had.”
Sharing a photo of the pair together on Instagram, Travolta wrote, “Kirstie has been one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had.
“I love you Kirstie. I know we will meet again.”
Alley’s other film roles included Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Summer School (1987) Sibling Rivalry (1990), It Takes Two (1995), For Richer or Poorer (1997) and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999 ).
He won his second Emmy Award in 1994 for the television film David’s Mother and received another Emmy nomination in 1997 for his work on the crime series The Last Don.
She earned further Emmy and Golden Globe nominations as the lead in Veronica’s Closet, which aired from 1997 to 2000, and played a fictionalized version of herself in Fat Actress in 2005.
She has also made several appearances on reality television, first as a contestant on the 12th season of Dancing with the Stars, where she finished in second place.
During her time on Big Brother she shared the house with other famous faces including Coronation Street star Ryan Thomas and The Only Way Is Essex’s Dan Osbourne who finished in first and third place respectively.
