Leslie Jordan

An actor, writer, and singer who pairs his scene-stealing comic timing with a distinctive Tennessee drawl, Leslie Jordan began his long career onscreen and on-stage during the mid-’80s while in his thirties. First appearing in bit parts in film and as a guest on TV shows like The Fall Guy and Murphy Brown, he quickly earned recurring parts on series including Reasonable Doubts (1992-1993), Hearts Afire (1993-1995), and Boston Public (2001-2002). Jordan won an Emmy Award in 2006 for Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role of Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace. The continued demand for his talents on television included appearances on American Horror Story and Living the Dream in the 2010s. In the early 2020s, Jordan became a viral social media star by speaking candidly (and comically) about life in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He made his recording debut at age 65 with 2021′s Company's Comin', a collection of vintage country, gospel, and soul.
Born on April 29, 1955 in Chattanooga, where he was raised in the Southern Baptist church, Leslie Allen Jordan found himself frequently at odds with local church leaders for being unapologetically gay as a child (he claims to have been baptized 14 times). At 17, he began a daily journaling practice that he continued throughout his life. Struggles with drug and alcohol abuse in early adulthood continued after he moved to Los Angeles in 1982.
Some of Jordan’s first acting credits in California included the stage play Found a Peanut in 1986, a small role in the Richard Pryor film Moving in 1988, and guest spots on TV shows like The Fall Guy (1986), the anthology series CBS Summer Playhouse (1987), and Night Court (1988). Though he continued to get occasional dramatic work, he found increasing demand as a comedic actor, appearing on episodes of Murphy Brown and Newhart, and landing his first gig as a regular on the short-lived Wes Craven comedy-fantasy The People Next Door, all in 1989.
Jordan never took a break from television thereafter, appearing on the small screen in some capacity every year into the 2020s. He had a recurring role on Reasonable Doubts (1992-1993), playing an assistant public defender, was a cast member on Bodies of Evidence (1992-1993), portrayed the Invisible Man (1993) and Resplendent Man (1994) on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and appeared on about half the episodes of the sitcom Hearts Afire (1993-1995). Meanwhile, he turned up in films such as Stephen Frears’ Hero (1992), Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), and Goodbye Lover (1998). Jordan frequently discusses getting sober in the late ’90s.
Television roles on Boston Public, the Reba McEntire vehicle Reba, and Boston Legal followed in the 2000s, as did a recurring part on Will & Grace that would span two decades. Jordan won an Emmy in 2006 for playing Beverley Leslie on the hit series. The one-man show Leslie Jordon: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (2010) recounted stories of working in Hollywood as a gay Southern man, and a year later, he was a lead in the off-Broadway musical Lucky Guy. His film work that decade was highlighted by the Oscar nominee The Help (2011) and a starring role in Del Shores’ adaptation of his own play Southern Baptist Sissies (2013). In 2013, Jordan was cast on TV’s American Horror Story: Coven, leading to appearances on 2016′s American Horror Story: Roanoke and 2019′s American Horror Story: 1984.
By then in his sixties, the actor found another level of fame without leaving home, as he broadcast a series of videos on social media surrounding the experience of sheltering in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. He went viral, gaining five million followers by mid-2020. That year, he could also be seen alongside Andra Day in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. The Fox series Call Me Kat debuted in January 2021, with Jordan playing a single gay co-worker to Mayim Bialik’s Kat. During the run of the series and while remaining active on social media, Jordan made his debut as a recording artist with the covers album Company's Comin', featuring songs from his childhood. Released on Platoon in March 2021, its guests included, among others, Dolly Parton, Eddie Vedder, and Brandi Carlile. A month later, Jordan appeared as a presenter at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Leslie Jordan died in an auto accident while he was driving to the set of Call Me Kat on October 24, 2022. He was 67 years of age. ~ Marcy Donelson