Piper Laurie, the esteemed actress renowned for her roles in “Carrie,” “Twin Peaks,” and “The Hustler,” has passed away at the age of 91.
Her manager, Marion Rosenberg, confirmed this news to Entertainment Weekly (EW) on Saturday and described Laurie as “one of the most remarkable and versatile actresses of her day, a brilliant and creative mind, and a glorious human being.“
Born in Detroit in 1932, Rosetta Jacobs adopted the name Piper Laurie after signing a contract with Universal Pictures as a teenager in 1949. In 1950, she made her debut in the film world in the comedy “Louisa,” starring alongside Ronald Reagan.

Over the following five years, Laurie continued to find onscreen success, appearing alongside Hollywood greats like Rock Hudson in “Has Anybody Seen My Gal” (1952), Tyrone Power in “The Mississippi Gambler” (1953), and Tony Curtis in “Johnny Dark” (1954).
Feeling creatively confined in Hollywood, Laurie relocated from the Golden State to New York City, where she pursued work in television and theater. She returned to Los Angeles to star as Sarah Packard, the girlfriend of pool shark Eddie Felson (played by Paul Newman) in the Academy Award-winning 1961 drama “The Hustler,” which earned her her first Oscar nomination.

Laurie’s next film appearance came in 1976 when she portrayed Margaret White, the overbearing, religiously fanatic mother of Carrie (Sissy Spacek) in the horror classic “Carrie,” based on Stephen King‘s novel. Her chilling performance in Brian De Palma‘s film not only cemented her place in the annals of horror history but also garnered her a second Oscar nomination.
EW critic Owen Gleiberman praised Laurie’s portrayal in “Carrie,” describing her as “a woman who asserts the force of ‘goodness’ with so much tyrannical passion that she turns it into evil.” He also noted the incredible chemistry between her and Spacek, emphasizing the absence of camp and kitsch in their performances.

Laurie continued to grace the silver screen and television over the next decade, culminating in her third and final Oscar nomination for her role in the 1986 drama “Children of a Lesser God.“

In the same year, she won an Emmy award for her performance in the television film “Promise.”
In addition to her role in “Carrie,” Laurie is cherished for her portrayal of Catherine Martell in the cult-classic television series “Twin Peaks,” created by Mark Frost and David Lynch.
This role earned her a Golden Globe in 1991.

Throughout the years, she continued to take on prominent roles in popular television series such as “Frasier,” “Will & Grace,” “ER,” “Touched by an Angel,” and “MacGyver.“
Her final onscreen performance was as a grandmother in the 2018 film “White Boy Rick,” led by Matthew McConaughey.
Rest in peace Piper Laurie 🙁