Actor Jessica Walter, best known for role in ‘Arrested Development,’ dies at 80

Jessica Walter, the actress best known for her performance as Lucille Bluth in the TV show “Arrested Development,” died in her sleep Wednesday. She was 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 to Deadline. “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.”

Her death was also reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

Tony Hale, who played one of Walter’s sons on “Arrested Development,” was among the celebrities who sent their condolences Thursday.

“She was a force, and her talent and timing were unmatched,” Hale said. “Rest in Peace Mama Bluth.”

Another star of the show, David Cross, called Walter “an absolutely brilliant actress and amazing talent.

“I consider myself privileged and very lucky to have been able to work with her,” Cross said. “Lucille Bluth is one of TV’s greatest characters.”

Walter was nominated for an Emmy award in 2005 for her role in the critically acclaimed “Arrested Development,” where she played the matriarch of the Bluth family. In 1971, she starred in “Play Misty for Me,” which was Clint Eastwood’s directing debut.

That role garnered her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama. She also won an Emmy in 1975 for best Outstanding Lead Actress in a Special Program for her titular role in “Amy Prentiss.”

Her career spanned 70 years and also most recently included voice work on “Archer.”

“We worked together for years on ‘Arrested Development,’ actor Henry Winkler added. “It was an honor to watch her comedy explode from the very first row.”

John Levenstein, a producer of “Arrested Development,” wrote on Twitter that Walter “never missed.”

“If she didn’t get a laugh, there was problem with the script,” Levenstein said.

“I loved Jessica Walter,” director Edgar Wright added. “For me, knowing her mostly from dramatic works in films like ‘Play Misty For Me” just made the comic genius of her turn in ‘Arrested Development’ even more delightful.”

This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 2:53 PM.