Emmy-Winning Young Sheldon And Northern Exposure Actress Valerie Mahaffey Is Dead At 71

Valerie Mahaffey made a name for herself in the entertainment industry with an expansive TV and film career going back to the late '70s, and her most recent credit was in 2025. Sadly, the actress known for shows like Northern Exposure, Young Sheldon, and Desperate Housewives has now passed away at the age of 71.

The actress, who won a Primetime Emmy in 1992 as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work in the classic '90s show Northern Exposure, died on May 30 in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. The news was announced via her publicist, Jillian Roscoe (via THR). She is survived by her husband, Joseph Kell, and her daughter. In a statement to the outlet, Kell said:

Not many actors can claim to have a career as prolific – or, as her husband said, "endearing" – as Valerie Mahaffey. While her first credit is for the TV movie Tell Me My Name, her second credit ever was a regular gig as Ashley Bennett on the NBC soap opera The Doctors starting in 1979, for which she earned her first major award nomination in the form of a Daytime Emmy nom for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama. (Her win in the primetime awards would come years later.)

She would go on to appear as a guest star in shows that have become classics in their own right, including Quantum Leap, Cheers, and Seinfeld before her regular role in NBC's short-lived sitcom The Powers That Be. Possibly her most memorable role of the era was also the one that won her that Primetime Emmy: Eve in five episodes of Northern Exposure over three seasons. Like Diane Delano, who died just last year, she made a big impression on Northern Exposure without a regular role on the CBS dramedy.

Some of her most notable characters debuted in the 21st century, including in nine episodes of ABC's Desperate Housewives across two seasons between 2006-2012. On Fox's Glee, she played Rose Pillsbury – a.k.a. the mother of Emma Pillsbury, played by future Disenchanted actress Jayma Mays. Joining the Big Sky cast in 2020 brought her to ABC, followed by recurring on Netflix's Dead to Me.

Valerie Mahaffey's final TV credit was for a few episodes of Echo 3, available now with an Apple TV+ subscription. Her final credit overall was The 8th Day, a film that released in 2025.

The actress had a career to be quite proud of, and surely a legacy that will continue. After all, she was part of TV shows that remain fan-favorites even years after wrapping. Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Valerie Mahaffey in this difficult time.