Emmy winning actor Valerie Mahaffey passes away at 71

Emmy winner Valerie Mahaffey, celebrated for her roles in television series including Northern Exposure, Desperate Housewives and Big Sky, as well as films such as Seabiscuit and Sully, has passed away at the age of 71.

Joseph Kell, Mahaffey's husband and an actor himself, confirmed that she died in Los Angeles on May 30 following her fight with cancer. Kell stated, "I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its most endearing actresses. She will be missed."

Mahaffey won an Emmy in 1992 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, which recognised her portrayal of the hypochondriac Eve in the CBS dramedy Northern Exposure.

More recently, she appeared in the series Echo 3 on Apple TV+ as well as the independent film French Exit, where she starred opposite Lucas Hedges and Michelle Pfeiffer. Her performance in the dark comedy from filmmaker Azazel Jacobs as the optimistic character Madame Reynard earned her a nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards.

She also held a co-starring role in ABC's detective series Big Sky from David E Kelley. She portrayed the grandiose character Lorna Harding in season one and two of Netflix's Dead to Me, alongside Christina Applegate.

Mahaffey's filmography also includes titles such as No Pay, Nudity, Jungle 2 Jungle, My First Wedding, and The 8th Day. Back in 2010, she starred in and produced Summer Eleven, a family drama written and directed by her husband Kell, and co-starring their daughter Alice Richards.