Corey Parker, the versatile actor who charmed television audiences with his recurring role on “Will & Grace” and launched his film career in the cult classic “Friday the 13th: A New Beginning,” has died at age 60 following a battle with cancer.
Parker died Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee, according to reports from his family. His aunt Emily Parker confirmed the news to TMZ, while his sister Noelle Parker and longtime friend Risa Bramon Garcia shared tributes on Instagram over the weekend.
“I believe he left this world weightless, at peace & surrounded with love,” Noelle Parker wrote in her emotional tribute to her brother.
Born July 8, 1965, in New York City, Parker entered show business at just 4 years old, appearing in television commercials before attending the prestigious High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan. The son of actress Rochelle “Rocky” Parker and her husband John David Haas, he grew up immersed in the entertainment world. By age 14, he was training with teachers from the Actors Studio, and at 20, the legendary institution accepted him as one of its youngest members ever.
Parker made his on-screen debut in 1983 with an appearance on the soap opera “As the World Turns.” Two years later, he landed his breakthrough role as Pete, a doomed greaser, in “Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning” (1985). The horror sequel marked him as a rising talent in Hollywood and opened doors to bigger projects.
His film career flourished with roles in Kim Basinger’s “9 1/2 Weeks” (1986), the Neil Simon adaptation “Biloxi Blues” (1988) alongside Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken, “Big Man on Campus” (1989), “Encino Woman” (1996), and Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Rainmaker” (1997). He also appeared in “White Palace” and the British miniseries “The Lost Language of Cranes” (1991), a performance colleagues remembered fondly in online tributes following his death.
Television became Parker’s strongest medium throughout the 1990s and 2000s. In 1992, he starred opposite Téa Leoni in the Fox sitcom “Flying Blind,” playing Neil Barash, an awkward college graduate navigating a relationship with Leoni’s free-spirited character Alicia. The show ran for one season and featured guest appearances from Lisa Kudrow, Peter Boyle, Andy Dick and Noah Emmerich.
Parker’s most memorable television role came when he appeared in a five-episode arc on NBC’s hit sitcom “Will & Grace” as Josh, one of Grace’s bohemian boyfriends during the show’s second and third seasons. The recurring character showcased Parker’s natural comedic timing and chemistry with Debra Messing and the ensemble cast.
His extensive television credits also included appearances on “The New Leave It to Beaver,” “Thirtysomething,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Nashville” and “Love Boat: The Next Wave.” On the “Love Boat” revival, which aired for two seasons from 1998 to 1999 on UPN, Parker played Dr. John Morgan, the ship’s physician.
Later in his career, Parker transitioned behind the camera as a beloved acting coach, sharing his decades of experience with a new generation of performers. He began coaching in 2000 and went on to teach at Duke University, Rhodes College, and the University of Memphis. He served as acting instructor on CMT’s “Sun Records” in 2017 and the Disney+ Marvel series “Ms. Marvel” in 2022. His students went on to win Tony Awards, SAG Awards and Emmy Awards.
Casting director Risa Bramon Garcia, who had known Parker for 45 years since their early days at Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York, paid tribute to his lasting impact as both an artist and mentor. She noted that Parker had been “a massive part of my creative work, my creative family, for decades,” and praised his gift for teaching, generosity and devotion to the craft of storytelling.
Parker’s mother, Rocky Parker, was an actress and acting coach who gained public attention for her marriage to Patrick Dempsey. The couple wed in August 1987 and divorced in 1994. Rocky Parker passed away from cancer in 2014. Parker’s sister Noelle also pursued acting, and the family’s creative legacy shaped his approach to his craft both as a performer and teacher.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by his students revealed the devastating nature of Parker’s illness. He received an advanced stage 4 metastatic cancer diagnosis after undergoing hip replacement surgery in fall 2025, when bone sent to pathology revealed the disease had spread. In his final update on February 17, 2026, Parker shared that he was preparing for hospice care.
Throughout his four-decade career, Parker became known not only for his versatility across genres—from horror to comedy to drama—but also for his warmth and dedication to helping young actors develop their skills. He once said, “I think actors are the gold mine, the source of authenticity and creativity.” Parker is survived by his wife Angela, his sister Noelle, and his brother David. Colleagues and students remembered him for his generosity, humor and genuine passion for storytelling—a legacy that lives on in the countless performers he mentored over his remarkable career.
