Piper Laurie, Carrie And Twin Peaks Actor, Dead At 91

Piper Laurie wearing a hat Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Legendary actor Piper Laurie, whose storied career spanned several decades in both film and television, has died at age 91. Her manager, Marion Rosenberg, confirmed the devastating news to People. “Ms. Laurie passed away this morning in Los Angeles. She basically died of old age,” he said, adding that the three-time Oscar nominee was an “extraordinary talent and a superb human being.” In a separate statement obtained by CNN, Rosenberg hailed Laurie as “one of the finest actresses of her generation.” Born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit in 1932, Laurie was among the last surviving performers from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Laurie received her first Oscar nomination for her work in the 1961 poolhall drama “The Hustler,” in which she portrayed dispirited alcoholic Sarah Packard opposite Paul Newman. Following a 15-year hiatus from acting — which she spent raising a family and campaigning for the civil rights movement — Laurie resumed her career in the mid-’70s, starring in the horror staple “Carrie,” a performance that garnered the actor further accolades, including an Oscar nomination. More recently, audiences were introduced to Laurie as Catherine Martell in the television series “Twin Peaks,” for which she was awarded a Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations.

With an illustrious spanning seven decades, fans and fellow actors alike are mourning the loss of a true Hollywood legend. More to come…