CNN reports that Piper Laurie, the acclaimed actress known for her iconic roles in films such as “Carrie” and “The Hustler,” has passed away at the age of 91. According to her manager, Marion Rosenberg, Laurie died in Los Angeles early Saturday morning, but no official cause of death has been provided.
Laurie will be remembered as not only one of the finest actresses of her generation but also a remarkable human being, as stated by Rosenberg. Turner Classic Movies, which is part of Warner Brothers Discovery, also praised Laurie, calling her one of the most celebrated and formidable actresses of the last fifty years. They highlighted her powerful performances as flawed and sometimes ferocious women.
Although Laurie began her career as a teenage star in the 1950s, she took a break from Hollywood due to dissatisfaction with the treatment she received as a young actress and the lack of depth in the female roles she was offered. When she returned more than a decade later, Laurie made a strong comeback by portraying complex and tormented women. Her outstanding performances in “The Hustler” (1961), “Carrie” (1976), and “Children of a Lesser God” (1986) earned her multiple Oscar nominations. Additionally, she won a Golden Globe for her role as a vengeful mill owner in television’s “Twin Peaks” and received two Emmy nominations.
Born as Rosetta Jacobs in Detroit in 1932, Laurie adopted the name Piper Laurie at the suggestion of her manager when she entered the acting profession. In her memoir, “Learning to Live Out Loud,” she discussed her early experiences in Hollywood. At the age of 17, Laurie signed a contract with Universal-International (now Universal Studios) and appeared alongside actors such as Paul Newman, Rock Hudson, Tony Curtis, and Ronald Reagan. However, she quickly became disillusioned with the industry due to the one-dimensional nature of the roles she was assigned.
After breaking her contract with Universal in the mid-1950s, Laurie faced difficulties in securing the roles she desired. Instead, she turned to television movies and series. It wasn’t until 1961 that she made a brief return to the silver screen with “The Hustler” before taking another hiatus from Hollywood for over a decade. She finally made her comeback in 1976 with her memorable portrayal of Margaret White in “Carrie,” where she felt genuinely welcomed and supported by the crew.
Laurie was married to film critic Joe Morgenstern in the early 1960s, but they later divorced. They have a daughter together.