Piper Laurie, a legendary performer whose career spanned several decades in both cinema and television, has died at the age of 91. Marion Rosenberg, her manager, confirmed the heartbreaking news to People. “Ms. Laurie passed away this morning in Los Angeles. She basically died of old age,” he said, adding that the three-time Oscar nominee was an “extraordinary talent and a superb human being.” Rosenberg praised Laurie in a second statement obtained by CNN, calling her “one of the finest actresses of her generation.” Laurie, who was born Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit in 1932, was one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Laurie received her first Academy Award nomination for her performance in the 1961 pool hall thriller “The Hustler,” in which she played depressed alcoholic Sarah Packard opposite Paul Newman. Laurie returned to acting after a 15-year sabbatical, which she spent raising a family and advocating for the civil rights movement, in the mid-1970s, appearing in the horror classic “Carrie,” a performance that earned the actor further plaudits, including an Oscar nomination. Laurie was recently introduced to audiences as Catherine Martell in the television series “Twin Peaks,” for which she received a Golden Globe and two Emmy nods.

Fans and fellow actors alike are grieving the passing of a true Hollywood classic with a career spanning seven decades. There will be more…

Fans shared their appreciation for Piper Laurie’s legacy.

Losing a legend is never easy, especially when they are among the dwindling ranks of Hollywood’s oldest stars. However, some deaths, such as Piper Laurie’s, are more devastating than others. Fortunately, based on the reaction to Laurie’s untimely death, she left behind a slew of followers who cherish her legacy.

One admirer applauded Laurie for her ability to play a wide range of personalities on X, formerly known as Twitter. “RIP to Piper Laurie, an amazing actress who could play both a damaged love heroine in ‘The Hustler’ & the monstrous mother in ‘Carrie,'” tweeted the fan. A second fan revealed that she’d use “Carrie” as a gateway into Laurie’s body of work. “I had not heard of Piper Laurie until ‘Carrie’ came out, but my Aunt that took us to see ‘Carrie’ knew who she was and encouraged me to watch her past movies. Fine actress and very effective. Rest easy with peace,” tweeted the user.

Illeana Douglas, a writer, shared a throwback photo of herself and Laurie from a previous interview. “So sad to hear of the passing of Piper Laurie. I had the pleasure of interviewing her, afterwords we sat backstage for two hours, discussing the great love of her life a famous Director, her book, and our mutual friend Roddy McDowall. Just a lovely woman, a terrific actress,” tweeted Douglass. Sitting for an hour with Piper Laurie at last year’s TCM Classic Film Festival is a memory I will forever cherish …” tweeted commentator Dave Krager.