Actor Kirstie Alley remembered as ‘beautiful mama bear’

Jamie Lee Curtis and John Travolta have led Hollywood tributes to Kirstie Alley, who died aged 71 following a recent cancer diagnosis.

Curtis, who worked with Alley on Scream Queens, called the actor “a beautiful mama bear in her very real life” in a Facebook post.

“She helped me buy onesies for my family that year for Christmas. We agreed to disagree about some things but had a mutual respect and connection. Sad news,” she wrote.

Alley’s Cheers co-star Ted Danson told People of his sadness at the news of her death.

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“I was on a plane today and did something I rarely do. I watched an old episode of Cheers. It was the episode where Tom Berenger proposes to Kirstie, who keeps saying no, even though she desperately wants to say yes. Kirstie was truly brilliant in it,” Danson said in a statement.

“Her ability to play a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown was both moving and hysterically funny. She made me laugh 30 years ago when she shot that scene, and she made me laugh today just as hard.

“As I got off the plane, I heard that Kirstie had died. I am so sad and so grateful for all the times she made me laugh. I send my love to her children. As they well know, their mother had a heart of gold. I will miss her.”

Kelsey Grammer told People “I always believed grief for a public figure is a private matter, but I will say I loved her.”

John Travolta, Alley’s co-star in the Look Who’s Talking franchise, paid tribute to the actor, writing on Instagram “I know we’ll see each other again”.

“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie,” Travolta wrote.

On Facebook, the actor posted a clip of the pair dancing from Look Who’s Talking Now, which was simply captioned: “Kirstie Alley” with a heart emoji.

Tim Allen, who starred alongside Alley in For Richer or Poorer, remembered her as a “sweet soul” on Twitter.

“Sad, sad news. Prayers for all her family,” Allen wrote.

Actor Clancy Brown, who worked with Alley in the 1988 film Shoot to Kill, wrote on Twitter that Alley was “beautiful in so many ways”.

“I loved working with her. There was no one like her on earth. My condolences to her family.”

Kristin Chenoweth, who appeared alongside Alley on her self-titled television series, shared her disbelief at Alley’s passing on Instagram.

”I love you, Kirstie. I will see you again someday. I can’t believe you’re gone.”

Scream Queens stars Taylor Lautner and Abigail Breslin both shared tributes to Alley on Instagram.

“An honour working with and getting to know you Kirstie. RIP,” Lautner wrote on his Instagram story.

“You were a great lady. I’m so happy I got to work with you on Scream Queens Season 2 and always chuckled at the way you put your name in my phone,” Breslin posted.

“I hope you’re resting peacefully now.”

Yvette Nicole Brown shared a link to news of Alley’s death on Twitter, commenting “Wow. This is shocking news.”

Actress Ever Carradine thanked Alley for “launching [Carradine’s] career” in a Twitter post.

”She told me I was funny every single day on Veronica’s Closet, and I believed her. She threw the best parties and gave the parakeets as our wrap gift. Godspeed.”

Alley’s death was confirmed through her official social media, which shared a statement from her children True and Lillie Parker on Tuesday (NZ time).

“To all our friends, far and wide around the world… We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered,” the statement read.