Emmy-winning actress Valerie Mahaffey died Friday, May 30, 2025, at age 71 after battling cancer, according to BBC reports. The veteran performer, known for memorable roles in television series including “Desperate Housewives,” “Northern Exposure,” and “Young Sheldon,” passed away in Los Angeles.
Mahaffey’s publicist confirmed her death to multiple news outlets. Her husband, actor Joseph Kell, stated that he had “lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses.” The couple’s daughter, Alice, wrote on Facebook that cancer was the cause, expressing her grief over the loss.
Born June 16, 1953, in Sumatra, Indonesia, to a Canadian mother and American father, Mahaffey relocated to Texas as a teenager. She graduated from Austin High School and earned her degree from the University of Texas in 1975. Her acting career began in New York City, where she appeared in six Broadway productions between 1976 and 1984, including “Dracula” starring Raul Julia and “Play Memory” directed by Harold Prince.
Mahaffey’s television breakthrough came with her role as Ashley Bennett on the NBC soap opera “The Doctors” from 1979 to 1981, earning her a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1980. She later won two Obie Awards for her theater work in “Top Girls” at the Public Theatre and Alan Bennett’s “Talking Heads” at the Minetta Lane. Her stage credits also included playing Desdemona in “Othello” opposite Morgan Freeman and Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet” with Tom Hulce.
The actress achieved her most significant television recognition in 1992, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Eve, a hypochondriac character, on CBS’s “Northern Exposure.” She appeared in five episodes of the series between 1991 and 1994, playing the wife of Adam Arkin’s character across three seasons.
On ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” Mahaffey portrayed the manipulative Alma Hodge, ex-wife of Kyle MacLachlan’s Orson Hodge character, appearing in eight episodes from 2006 to 2007. Her role brought her to the drama-filled Wisteria Lane setting that captivated audiences worldwide. She also appeared as teacher Victoria MacElroy on “Young Sheldon,” the “Big Bang Theory” spin-off, from 2017 to 2020.
Throughout her five-decade career, Mahaffey appeared in dozens of television series, demonstrating remarkable versatility across genres. Her guest appearances included roles on “Seinfeld,” “Wings,” “ER,” “Glee,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Mindy Project,” “Cheers,” and “Boston Legal.” She played Emma Pillsbury’s mother on “Glee” from 2011 to 2013 and appeared as the unstable Olivia Rice on “Devious Maids” from 2013 to 2015.
Her film work included notable roles in Clint Eastwood’s “Sully” alongside Tom Hanks, “Seabiscuit,” and “Jungle 2 Jungle.” She received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Female for her role as Madame Reynard in the 2020 film “French Exit” opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges.
More recent television work included her role as the grandiose Lorna Harding in Netflix’s “Dead to Me” starring Christina Applegate from 2019 to 2022, and appearances on ABC’s thriller series “Big Sky” created by David E. Kelley from 2020 to 2021. She was also recently seen on Apple TV+’s “Echo 3.”
Mahaffey was a regular cast member on the 1992-1993 Norman Lear-produced NBC series “The Powers That Be.” Her versatility extended to producing, as she both produced and acted in “Summer Eleven” alongside her daughter Alice. Her final credited performance was in “The 8th Day,” scheduled for release in 2025.
Michelle Pfeiffer, who worked with Mahaffey on “French Exit,” posted on social media that one of their brightest stars had been stolen, describing her as a remarkable talent and human being. Rob Morrow, her “Northern Exposure” co-star, remembered Mahaffey as a breath of fresh air who brought joy and laughs to the series, noting that everyone adored her.
The actress was known for her ability to portray eccentric characters with warmth and authenticity. Her publicist described her as a striking and charismatic stage, film, and television actress whose career spanned many decades, noting that her warm and infectious energy was felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing her.
Mahaffey is survived by her husband Joseph Kell and daughter Alice Richards. Despite her illness, she chose to share her condition only with a close circle of family and friends. Her passing marks the end of a distinguished career that brought memorable characters to audiences across multiple generations of television and film.
