Actor and comedian Leslie Jordan died as a result of a car crash on Monday. He was 67. Jordan has featured in a number of notable TV shows like American Horror Story, Will & Grace, Call Me Cat, and Hearts Afire.

“The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan. Not only was he a mega talent and joy to work with, but he provided an emotional sanctuary to the nation at one of its most difficult times,” one of Jordan’s representatives said in a statement to AP on Monday. “Knowing that he has left the world at the height of both his professional and personal life is the only solace one can have today.”

Who was Leslie Jordan?

Leslie Jordan was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 29, 1955. His father’s name was Allen Bernard Jordan and his mother’s name was Peggy Ann Griffin. The actor’s father was a US Army major who died in a helicopter crash in 1967. Jordan studied at Brainerd High School.

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Jordan, who was openly gay, also had troubles with drugs and alcohol, for which he was arrested several times. He revealed to Wendy Williams on a talk show that he had shared a jail cell with Robert Downey Jr.

In 1986, the 4′ 11″ actor began his professional career in the series The Fall Guy. He has also appeared on shows like Murphy Brown, Will & Grace, Star Trek: Voyager, Caroline in the City, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Boston Legal. He also had an extensive career as a theatre actor and a playwright.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jordan became popular on the social media platform Instagram, where he regularly posted comedic videos. During this time, his followers on the platform shot up to 5.8 million from 50,000.

Jordan was awarded the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in Will & Grace.