‘Will & Grace’ Star, Shelley Morrison, Dies at 83

Shelley Morrison, the actress who was best known for her role as Rosario the maid on ‘Will and Grace,' died today (December 1). The news was confirmed by her publicist Sunday evening.

The 83-year-old actress, whose career spanned more than 50 years, died at a Los Angeles hospital after a brief illness led to heart failure, Morrison’s publicist told The Associated Press.

Morrison appeared as Rosario (Karen Walker’s maid) on Will and Grace from 1999 to 2006. Variety.com reports that the character was only written to appear in one episode of the series, but she resonated” so well with the audience that the character went on to appear in 68 episodes of the original series.”

Will & Grace star Sean Hayes posted a tribute to Morrison on his Instagram account Sunday evening as well. He wrote, "She was absolutely hilarious and had the biggest heart. She was a part of our Will and Grace family and will be greatly missed," in his Instagram post on Sunday evening.

Morrison reportedly declined the opportunity to appear in the show’s revival which launched in 2017, saying she had retired from acting. Morrison's absence was addressed in the revival's first season as it was revealed Rosario had passed away:

Morrison is survived by her husband of more than 40 years, Walter Dominguez.