‘Will & Grace’ Star Shelley Morrison Dies At 83 From Heart Failure

Beloved Will & Grace star Shelley Morrison has died.

The Associated Press was the first to report the news, stating that the actress, 83, died this Sunday, December 1, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Her cause of death was marked as heart failure following a brief illness, her publicist Lori DeWaal confirmed. 

Morrison was best known for her role as, Rosario Salazar, the longtime maid and confidant of Megan Mullally's character, Karen Walker. She starred in 68 episodes, from 1999 to 2006. 

“Shelley’s greatest pride as an actress was in playing the indomitable Rosario, in a comedy series that furthered the cause of social equity and fairness for LGBTQ people. She also took pride in portraying a strong, loving yet feisty Latina character,” her husband of 46 years, Walter Dominguez, said in a statement after her death.

“She believed that the best way to change hearts and minds was through comedy. The other great joy of her life was her 64-year marriage to her husband, filmmaker Walter Dominguez, and their many family members, including children and grandchildren who were adopted through traditional Native American ceremony,” he added.

Apart from her memorable role in Will & Grace, Morrison — born Rachel Mitrani — starred in dozens of televisions series throughout her decades-long career. Some of the most notable include The Flying Nun, Funny Girl, The Fugitive, L.A. Law, How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, Troop Beverly Hills, and Fools Rush, to name a few. She also acted alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Barbra Streisand, Salma Hayek, Sally Field, and Dean Martin.