Leslie Jordan: A Life Lived Out Loud
Born and raised in Tennessee, Leslie Jordan became an actor and writer, well known for his roles on the film My Trip Down the Pink Carpet and on the television show Will & Grace.
Here’s everything you need to know about Leslie Jordan’s life.
Who is Leslie Jordan?
Leslie Jordan, born Leslie Roy Povich in Roanoke, Virginia on October 14, 1954 to a Jewish family, was an actor and writer who became famous for his roles in the television series My Name is Earl and Will & Grace.
He died on July 21, 2017 at the age of 59. Jordan worked as a theater director until he began acting full-time in 1991.
His credits included the films Space Jam (1996) and American Wedding (2003), as well as guest spots on TV shows such as Murphy Brown, Touched by an Angel, Seinfeld, The Practice and Malcolm in the Middle.
When did he die?
He died on July 23, 2018 at the age of 59.
He had been battling cancer for a year before passing away.
He was an actor and playwright who is best known for his role as Beverly Leslie on the television series Will & Grace.
Some of his other well-known roles include Beverley Leslie in season three of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bob Patches in Two and a Half Men, Jamie Sawyer in The Help and Cricket Caruth-Reilly in American Horror Story: Coven.
How did he die?
In the early hours of July 3rd, 2018, Leslie Jordan died in his sleep at the age of 59.
The cause of death is not yet known.
An Emmy award winning actor and comedian, he was best known for playing the character Beverly Leslie on the popular sitcom Will & Grace.
He also starred in films like Sordid Lives, The New Partridge Family and The Help.
Jordan was born in Tennessee and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia.
He always knew that he wanted to be an actor but it wasn’t until after high school that he moved to New York City and began auditioning for Broadway roles.
After three years of trying, Jordan finally landed a part in the original production of Edward Albee’s play Three Tall Women.
It was then that he knew that this was what he wanted to do with his life.
What made him famous?
Leslie’s breakout role was as Beverly Leslie on the HBO sitcom Will & Grace for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award.
In his later career, he had memorable roles in such films as Sordid Lives, Myra Breckinridge, and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure.
He has been nominated for three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Outside of television, film and theater, Jordan is an accomplished author of five books including recently published work As I Lay Frying, a Southern novel based in part on his growing up in North Carolina.
He has written six episodes of Will & Grace that were aired during the show’s original run from 1998 to 2006.
Leslie died at the age of 59 years old due to complications related to heart failure.
Other notes on his career
Jordan is one of the most prominent and respected members of the gay community.
He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Beverly Leslie in Will & Grace.
His film credits include Sordid Lives, Pretty Woman, Mallrats and other greats.
He was open about his homosexuality from the beginning of his career, but had to keep it quiet while he was on Broadway.
When he came out, many major companies refused to hire him because they didn’t want the controversy that would come with working with someone who wasn’t straight.
However, there are also stories of him being harassed by some people in Hollywood who were either not aware or didn’t care that he was openly gay.
