Carrie star Piper Laurie dies, aged 91
Laurie was a three-time Oscar nominee.
Carrie star Piper Laurie, who was also known for her roles in films The Hustler and Children of a Lesser God, has died at the age of 91.
Laurie, who was also a campaigner for the civil rights movement, was confirmed to have died on Saturday 14th October, with her manager Marion Rosenberg confirming the news of her death to Variety.
Rosenberg told the publication that Laurie was "a beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time".
Laurie was born as Rosetta Jacobs in 1932 to Alfred and Charlotte Jacobs, and had her breakout role in 1950's Louisa, which also starred Ronald Reagan.
She subsequently had roles in films including Francis Goes to the Races, Son of Ali Baba and Ain't Misbehavin', as well as The Hustler, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award.
Following that, she moved from Hollywood to New York in order to pursue other roles. It was there that she also focused on campaigning surrounding the civil rights movement and the Vietnam war.
In 1976 she returned to Hollywood to play Margaret White in the film adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie, with this role earning her another Oscar nomination and becoming one of the parts for which she was best-known.
She received her third Oscar nomination for her role in 1986's Children of a Lesser God, before starring in later films such as Eulogy and White Boy Rick, as well as series including Twin Peaks, Murder She Wrote, Frasier and ER.
Laurie married and later divorced writer and film critic Joe Morgenstern. She is survived by her daughter Anne Grace.
Actress Marlee Matlin was among those to pay tribute to Laurie, writing on Twitter, which has recently been rebranded as X: "She was my first onscreen mother and she was celebrated way before we worked together including 3 @TheAcademy Award nominations. I’ll never forget her kind, sweet spirit and fierce talent. RIP Piper Laurie."
Meanwhile, one fan said she was "a truly extraordinary actress", adding that "her role as Margaret White will forever be near to my heart, it's one of the greatest Oscar-worthy performances of all time".
Another said: "Piper Laurie is my favourite part of my favourite movie, CARRIE. She is what made me fall in love with this movie, and every time I rewatch it, I am more and more devastated by Margaret White's story. It's a performance that’s utterly tragic and terrifying and camp all at once."
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
