Actress Shelley Morrison, who portrayed the quick-witted yet beloved maid Rosario Salazar on Will & Grace, has died. She was 83.
According to The Associated Press, Morrison’s publicist, Lori DeWaal, confirmed she passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Sunday (December 1) due to heart failure following a brief illness. Despite initially being written in only one episode, Morrison won audiences over with her affable chemistry with costar Megan Mullally’s character and went on to star in 68 episodes across eight seasons of the hit NBC series, from 1999-2006. Morrison was invited back to reprise her role in the show’s reboot but declined as she'd retired from acting.
The El Savador-born star, who is survived by her husband of over 40 years, Walter Dominguez, received a bounty of condolences and tributes in the wake of her unfortunate passing from Will & Grace costars Mullally, Sean Hayes, Debra Messing, and Eric McCormack.
“Such sad news. Our beloved Shelley Morrison passed away today. She was absolutely hilarious and had the biggest heart,” Hayes wrote on Instagram. “She was part of our Will and Grace family and will be greatly missed. My heart goes out to her husband, Walter and her entire family.”
“My heart is heavy. putting Shelley, her beloved husband walter & their children in the light,” Mullally tweeted. “Thank you for your friendship & partnership, shell. you accomplished wonderful things in this world. you will be missed.”
McCormack described Morrison as “a beautiful soul and wonderful actor,” adding: “Her work as Rosario, season after season, was as nuanced and real as it was hysterical. She will be missed by everyone at #WillandGrace. … Sending so much love to Walter and Shelley’s whole family.”
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