Kirstie Alley dead at 71: Cheers star’s heartbroken children announce actress has passed away

Kirstie Alley dead at 71: The Cheers star’s heartbroken children announce the ‘fierce and loving’ actress has passed away after a brief battle with cancer

  • Kirstie Alley has died after a ‘battle with cancer’, according to her family
  • “We are sorry to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother passed away after a battle with cancer, which was only recently discovered,” one tweet read.
  • Alley’s children Lillie and William True Stevenson shared the news in a statement posted Monday night on their late mother’s social media pages.
  • Alley played bar manager Rebecca Howe in Cheers; she also co-starred with John Travolta in Look Who’s Talking, among others
  • In recent years, she has been shunned by Hollywood after endorsing Donald Trump in 2015 – the last year she appeared in a movie on screen.
  • She received backlash from her Hollywood contemporaries, but doubled down and supported Trump again in 2020

Actress Kirsty Alley passed away at the age of 71 after a short battle with cancer.

The children of the actress True, 30, and Lily, 28, who was known for her roles on Cheers and in the Look Who’s Talking movies — issued a statement on social media on Monday confirming the sad news.

Alley’s family said she was “surrounded by her immediate family and fought with great strength, making us sure of her never-ending joy in life and whatever adventures lie ahead.”

The latest: Actress Kirstie Alley has passed away at the age of 71 after a brief battle with cancer, her family said Monday.  She was photographed in NYC in 2016

The latest: Actress Kirstie Alley has passed away at the age of 71 after a brief battle with cancer, her family said Monday. She was photographed in NYC in 2016

The star's family released a statement on Instagram on Monday in the wake of the death

The star’s family released a statement on Instagram on Monday in the wake of the death

They continued, “As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother.

“We are grateful to the incredible team of doctors and nurses at Moffitt Cancer Center for their care.”

Alley’s relatives said that “the zest for life and passion for life, her children, grandchildren and her many animals, not to mention her undying joy to create, were unparalleled and left us inspired to live life to the fullest, just like she did.

They concluded the statement by saying, “We thank you for your love and prayers and ask that you respect our privacy at this difficult time.”

Alley was seen on the red carpet at the 2019 premiere of The Fanatic

Alley was seen on the red carpet at the 2019 premiere of The Fanatic

Alley played the role of Rebecca Howe in the NBC hit Cheers from 1987-1993

Alley played the role of Rebecca Howe in the NBC hit Cheers from 1987-1993

Alley’s friend and confidante John Travolta took to Instagram on Monday to pay tribute to the actress, who he worked with on the Look Who’s Talking movies.

“Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie,” Travolta, 68, said. “I know we’ll see each other again.”

Alley’s big break came in 1987 when she was cast as Rebecca Howe on the NBC hit Cheers, replacing the departing Shelley Long.