'The Hustler' And 'Carrie' Actress Piper Laurie Dies At 91

On October 14, Piper Laurie died at the age of 91.
She was known for award-nominated performances in ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Carrie,’ ‘Children of a Lesser God,’ and more.
By time of writing, no official cause of death has been named, although she had been feeling unwell for some time.

Actress Piper Laurie died on October 14 at the age of 91. She passed away in Los Angeles after reportedly not feeling well for some time. Laurie’s manager, Marion Rosenberg, confirmed news of her death to Variety.

Rosenberg called Laurie “A beautiful human being and one of the great talents of our time.” She was known for having a high-profile role in Carrie, The Hustler, Twin Peaks, and Children of a Leser God, among others.

The life of Piper Laurie

The Hustler, the start of many great things to come / TM & Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved.

Born as Rosetta Jacobs on January 22, 1932, Michigan native Laurie actually started off very shy, to the point that her parents had her attend weekly formal speech lessons. For a time, Laurie lived in a sanitorium to provide company for her sister, who was sent there by their parents due to her asthma.

RELATED: All The Stars We Lost In 2022: In Memoriam

She started off in the industry landing minor roles with Universal Studios. However, her early films were not hits, with some even being downright forgettable, to the point that Laurie once said “I hated what I was doing.” Fortunately, she split from her contract and relocated to New York, seeking new opportunities.

Her first Oscar nomination came with The Hustler, opposite Paul Newman. After briefly stepping away from acting to focus on her family, Laurie returned to the spotlight and again earned Oscar nominations for Carrie and Children of a Lesser God.

A legacy cemented in greatness

CARRIE, Piper Laurie, Sissy Spacek, 1976 / Everett Collection

Across her powerful career, Laurie would receive nine Emmy nominations, two of which came from Twin Peaks. Her final nomination came with a guest appearance in Frasier back in 1999. Laurie continued to work consistently through to 2018; her final film role was White Boy Rick while her last television appearance came on an episode of MacGyver.

Laurie married film critic Joe Morgenstern in 1962 and the couple remained together until 1982. They share one child, a daughter named Anne Grace Morgenstern, who they adopted in 1971. Besides acting, Laurie also cultivated a talent for sculpting, most often working with marble or clay.

By time of writing, no official cause of death has been named. Rest in peace, Piper Laurie.