Valerie Mahaffey, Desperate Housewives and Young Sheldon actress, dies at age 71
The Emmy-winning American actress portrayed many eccentric characters and appeared in dozens of series, including Glee.

Valerie Mahaffey (1953-2025)
Valerie Mahaffey, known for her roles in popular series such as Desperate Housewives, Young Sheldon, and Dead to Me, died Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 71, her publicist Jillian Roscoe confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Mahaffey battled cancer for years. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Kell, and their daughter, Alice. "I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses," Joseph said in a statement quoted by the media. Her last appearance was in the Apple TV+ series Echo 3.
Valerie's well-rounded career
Valerie began her acting career on Broadway, performing from 1976 to 1984. She also appeared in soap operas like The Doctors (1979–1980) and Tales of the Unexpected (1984). Her memorable guest roles include appearances on Seinfeld, Wings, Cheers, Big Sky, and The Mindy Project.
She played Alma Hodge, the ex-wife of Orson Hodge (Kyle MacLachlan), in the popular series Desperate Housewives (2006–2007). She also appeared as Professor Victoria MacElroy in Young Sheldon (2017–2020). On Netflix’s Dead to Me (2019–2022), she brought the character Lorna Harding to life.
Valerie also had small roles in several popular shows, including Boston Legal (2008), Hannah Montana (2010), and Grey’s Anatomy (2013).
The actress appeared in several films, including Senior Trip and Women of the House (both 1995), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Seabiscuit (2003), Summer Eleven (2010), Jack and Jill (2011), and most notably, French Exit (2020). She also completed filming GRQ, a comedy directed by Steven Bernstein, which will be released posthumously.
Mahaffey also starred in numerous regional and off-Broadway productions. Her theatrical work includes Othello, opposite Morgan Freeman, and Romeo and Juliet, alongside Tom Hulce.
Career awards
She also received two Obie Awards: one for Top Girls at the Public Theatre, and another for Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads at the Minetta Lane Theatre.
Valerie Mahaffey was born in Indonesia and lived there until she was 11. Afterward, she lived in diverse places including Nigeria, Texas, and England. Her acting career began on the New York City stage.
Tributes from the industry flooded social media within hours of the news, praising her professionalism and warmth on set. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.