'Northern Exposure,' 'Young Sheldon' alum Valerie Mahaffey dead at 71
Actress Valerie Mahaffey has died at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer. Image courtesy of UPI
May 31 (UPI) -- Northern Exposure and Young Sheldon actress Valerie Mahaffey has died at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer.
Mahaffey's publicist, Jillian Roscoe, confirmed the sad news to The Hollywood Reporter Friday.
"I have lost the love of my life, and America has lost one of its endearing actresses. She will be missed," her husband Joseph Kell said in a statement to People.com.
Mahaffey's other credits include Echo 3, Dead to Me, French Exit, Big Sky, Desperate Housewives, Glee and Devious Maids.
Notable deaths of 2025
Jill Sobule Jill Sobule attends the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 30, 2023. Sobule, the
Jill Sobule attends the GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on March 30, 2023. Sobule, the singer-songwriter behind "I Kissed a Girl," "Living Color" and "Supermodel," died at the age of 66 on May 2 from a house fire. Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI | License Photo
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
3 hours ago
- UPI
Jake Weary: Playing charismatic Cane on 'Waterfront' is a game changer
1 of 3 | Holt McCallany (L) and Jake Weary star in "The Waterfront." Photo courtesy of Netflix NEW YORK, June 21 (UPI) -- Animal Kingdom and Walking Dead: Dead City actor Jake Weary says he wanted to star in The Waterfront because the new Netflix drama gives him the chance to play a type of character he doesn't usually get offered. "It was a character that I've never really explored before, someone who is really outwardly charismatic and charming and trying to use his charms to get certain things and manipulate people," Weary, 35, told UPI in a phone interview Thursday. "I'd always played more introverted characters and characters that are harboring secrets and there's just a lot of darkness," he said. "There are elements there with Cane, but I think, for the most part, he's someone that actually smiles. I usually play characters that just scowl all the time, so I thought it was kind of a nice game changer for me." Now streaming on Netflix, the show was written-produced by Dawson's Creek and Scream creator Kevin Williamson. It follows the Buckleys, a wealthy North Carolina family as they try to save their fishing empire by smuggling drugs. Weary plays Cane Buckley, while Holt McCallany plays his father Harlan, Maria Bello plays his mother Belle and Melissa Benoist plays his older sister Bree. "I always thought Cane is kind of the glue that kept the family together," the actor said. "I feel like he's the one that creates the big Buckley family group chat, just to check in with everybody," he added. "When he notices that the family is in dire straits, he really jumps at the opportunity to take the bull by the horns and fix things." Weary and his co-stars quickly bonded when they arrived on the show's set in North Carolina. The actor described himself and Bello as "besties" and said they frequently text since she has been working out of the country and haven't been able to see each other for awhile. "And me and Holt have this really, really strong relationship, too, because I think there are a lot of parallels in our lives," he added. "We both had mothers who were big-time divas. His mother was a ballroom singer and my mom was a soap opera actress," Weary said, referring to McCallany's mother, entertainer Julie Wilson, and his own, Guiding Light icon Kim Zimmer. "We both grew up on the East Coast and have similar interests and can, literally, talk for hours. Having the two of them together [Bello and McCallany] together was just a dream come true." Further connecting the cast and crew was the fact that Hurricane Helene ravaged North Carolina while they were there. "There's a lot of people on the crew whose homes were affected by the hurricane," Weary recalled. "You could see how it brought the crew together. Everybody was super-supportive of each other," he said. "It was just really beautiful to see." One perfect Holt McCallany scene to welcome you to The Waterfront. The new series from Scream and Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson is now playing. Netflix (@netflix) June 19, 2025
UPI
8 hours ago
- UPI
Travis Van Winkle likens 'Fubar' S2 to 'Real World: Road Rules'
1 of 2 | Left to right, Travis Van Winkle, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Fortune Feimster attend the Netflix "FUBAR" Season 2 Los Angeles Premiere at Netflix Tudum Theater in Los Angeles on June 11. File Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI | License Photo NEW YORK, June 21 (UPI) -- You and The Last Ship alum Travis Van Winkle says Season 2 of his action-comedy, Fubar, starts off looking a bit like a 1990s reality TV show. "it's kind of like Real World: Road Rules meets the CIA and there's a lot of chaos," Van Winkle told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. Season 1 ended with Tally Brunner (Fabiana Udenio) discovering both her ex-husband Luke (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and their daughter Emma (Monica Barbaro) are secret agents who have been lying to her for years about their globe-trotting adventures. After a dangerous mission goes sideways, Luke, Tally and Emma, as well as Luke's team -- Barry (Milan Carter), Roo (Fortune Feimster) and Aldon (Van Winkle) -- end up in the witness protection program, sharing a house with Tally's miserable former fiance Donnie (Andy Buckley) and Emma's ex, Carter, (Jay Baruchel). That's where Season 2 -- now streaming on Netflix -- picks up. "I think having us all in the same room, trying to figure it out, for me, was always so fun. It felt like a big party on set when we were all there," Van Winkle said. Carter agreed with Van Winkle's categorization of the on-set vibe, but he also detailed some of the challenges that came with capturing those hilarious group scenes. "It felt like a party, but, I will say, Season 1, when we had to go to the CIA room, you knew you were going to be there for a long time because everybody's got to get [camera] coverage," he said. "So, you're shooting in the house and you've got 11 people, just know you're going to be there all day," he laughed. "When Season 2 kicks off, we have a lot of cabin fever. It's like three months after the church scene, where identities are revealed. So, now, we have spent way too much time with each other and are at the point of breaking, but we've got to save the world." A big change story-wise in Season 2 is that a lot of civilians now know more than they should about the agents' secret identities and missions. "It ain't fun having your mom, which Fabiana plays, she's basically Barry's mama in the show, knowing all of your business and, while you're trying to save the world, you've also got to talk her off a ledge and comfort her. It ain't easy." Feimster said her character Roo takes on added responsibility this season. "My character has a journey of kind of growing up a little bit and and taking some leadership roles," Feimster said. "It was interesting to go from like the super-ridiculous, inappropriate one last season, which I still have that, but having to step it up a little bit more." Van Winkle's favorite part of Season 2 was working with a new member of the cast -- a pig. "I've always loved animals and I actually grew up with a pig," the actor said. "My pig's name was Crazy Carl," he added. "He was a small, little guy we rescued from a farm and he turned into this massive pig, so I got to reunite with a swine and I really enjoyed having most of my scenes with this cute little guy named Dexter." Carter was most excited to explore Barry's crush on Tina (Aparna Brielle), an NSA analyst who is probably a double agent. "It's like going to your family reunion and everybody says, 'Yo, you know Tina's not for you, bro,'" Carter said about his team's lack of support for his budding relationship. "It made me really look forward to seeing where Barry and Tina were going to go this season and it's quite the journey." The cast members said they are still having fun working with Schwarzenegger, an action-movie legend they grew up watching in films like Terminator, Total Recall and True Lies. "He's such a treat because you never know what you're going to get," Feimster said. "You're either going to laugh a lot with him or you're going to get a motivational speech or learn about some kind of fascinating Hollywood story or all these iconic movies or actors you've heard of your whole life," she added. "It's never a dull moment." Van Winkle said the crew has learned the best way to get Schwarzenegger to where he needs to be isn't to interrupt him. "They just kind of walk behind him [and nudge him along] to try and let him finish his story," Van Winkle said. "Sometimes, that went on for quite a while, but when Arnold is telling you a Hollywood story, you've just got to let it play out." Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carrie-Anne Moss attend 'Fubar' S2 premiere Star Arnold Schwarzenegger attends Netflix's Season 2 premiere of "Fubar" in Los Angeles on June 11, 2025. Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI | License Photo Now streaming on Netflix.
10 hours ago
Jon Bernthal reported to join Tom Holland in upcoming 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
Jon Bernthal could be set to return as the Punisher in "Spider‑Man: Brand New Day," the next installment in the Sony/Marvel Spider‑Man franchise, according to " The Hollywood Reporter." Directed by Shang‑Chi filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton, the film is scheduled to begin production in England this summer and is set for release on July 31, 2026, Sony announced via Instagram back in March. Bernthal previously portrayed Frank Castle in Netflix's "Daredevil and The Punisher," later reprising the role in "Daredevil: Born Again" on Disney+. While details remain under wraps, it is reported that the movie picks up after the events of "Spider‑Man: No Way Home," where the world's memory of Peter Parker's identity as Spider‑Man was erased. Tom Holland will return as Peter Parker, with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon expected to reprise their roles as MJ and Ned. The extent of their involvement has not been confirmed. "Stranger Things" star Sadie Sink and "The Bear" actress Liza Colón-Zayas are also joining the cast in undisclosed roles, according to IMDB. "Spider‑Man: Brand New Day" will be the fourth solo Spider‑Man film starring Tom Holland and the first directed by Cretton.
