Larger-Than-Life 'Northern Exposure' and 'Two and a Half Men' Acting Veteran Dies aged 67 Following Brief Illness — With Tributes Hailing Her as 'Big, Bold and Sharp'
TV and film actress Diane Delano, best known for her role in comedy Northern Exposure, has passed away aged 67 following a brief illness.
Dec. 17 2024, Published 8:57 a.m. ET
Northern Exposure and Two and a Half Men star Diane Delano has passed away aged 67.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the much-loved actress died last Friday at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.
Delano played the cop Barbara Semanski in the comedy drama Northern Exposure, which aired between 1991 and 1995.
The cause of her death has yet to be disclosed but friends of the star praised her "sharp wit and comic timing" as tributes poured in.
Born in 1957 in Los Angeles, Delano attended Canoga Park High School before graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AMDA) in 1980 and began acting in films in 1983.
Delano played cop Barbara Semanski in the comedy drama Northern Exposure, which aired between 1991 and 1995.
Delano was praised for her 'sharp wit and comic timing' by her close friend and Hunter star Stepfanie Kramer.
The actress starred in 12 episodes over five years.
She also featured in hit show Days of Our Lives, making 21 appearances in between 1994 and 2009 playing the FBI agent Hilda Van Beno, as well taking on the role of a prison matron in Two and a Half Men in 2006.
Delano starred as the character Dee Dee Chesney in NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service in 2007 and appeared in one episode of Desperate Housewives in 2006.
Her other TV credits included Nineties shows including Renegade, the sitcom Step by Step and Cop Rock.
Delano starred alongside Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage in 2006 horror film The Wicker Man which later became a cult hit due to his over-the-top acting.
She also appeared in children's TV series, such as the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place and the animation Ben 10: Alien Force.
However, she was also a major force on the big screen.
Delano was best known for her roles in the 2004 movie The Ladykillers and the 2006 horror film The Wicker Man, which also featured Nicholas Cage.
Delano picked up an Indie Series Award in 2012 for her supporting role in the made-for-TV movie Fumbling Thru the Pieces.
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The Neil LaBute-directed remake was savaged by critics but has gone on to become a cult film due to its over-the-top lead performance from Cage.
And she was a voice actor in the 2022 video game Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, plus Dead Rising 3 and Rage 2.
Delano won an Indie Series Award in 2012 for her supporting role in the made-for-TV movie Fumbling Thru the Pieces.
Close friend and Hunter actress Stepfanie Kramer paid tribute to the late star.
Kramer said: "She was big and bold and brought her sharp wit and perfect comic timing to every role.
"Her earthy and raucous presence enabled her to always own the room. She was one of a kind."
The actor Herbie J Pilato said he was left "heartbroken" by Delano's death.
Delano's most recent role was in the movie Paradise: A Town of Sinners and Saints.
The film, released on streaming platforms earlier this month, also stars Raquel Castro and Dave Florek, who appeared in Ghostbusters II and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Directed by Justin Issac Ward, whom she had worked with in 2019 on his coming-of-age drama Relish, the film is billed as "bluegrass musical comedy where good and evil fight for the soul of a dried up coal mining town."
