"Arrested Development" star Tony Hale is morning the loss of his dear friend and tv mother, Jessica Walter.
The 80-year-old actress passed away in her sleep on March 24th; her daughter confirmed the news one day later. Walter, best known for her role as the eccentric mother Lucille Bluth, was an Emmy Award-winning actress that had consistently worked for over 60 years. After the news broke, Hale and other "Arrested Development" castmembers took to social media to pay their respects.
Tony shared a smiling selfie that feature his tv mother and captioned it with a sweet message. "She was a force, and her talent and timing were unmatched. Rest In Peace Mama Bluth," he wrote.
Henry Winkler also was saddened to hear the news and tweeted. "OH NO ...We worked together for years on ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT ..It was an honor to watch her comedy explode from the very first row."
Jessica is survived by her daughter, Brooke Bowman, who issued a statement after her passing. “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. 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.”
Walter rose to stardom in the 1960s when she landed a role in "Love of Life" that lasted until 1965. Over the years, she appeared on various tv shows before making her way into films in the 1970s. She was cast as Mama Bluth in "Arrested Development" in 2003 and stayed with the show for its entire run until 2006. She participated in the show's Netflix revival in 2013 and 2018. She won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Emmy for playing the lead character in "Amy Prentiss."
