Actor Leslie Jordan poses for a portrait at Pan Pacific Park within the Fairfax district of Los Angeles … [+]
The world is mourning Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor identified for his roles in Will & Grace and American Horror Story, in addition to his endearing social media presence.
Jordan, 67, died on Monday following a automotive accident, reviews say. Within the wake of his demise, tributes flooded in from celebrities and former co-stars; on social media, there was an outpouring of collective grief for Jordan’s passing.
Regardless of being extensively identified for his appearing roles, Jordan additionally constructed a powerful following on social media, boasting 2.3 million followers on TikTok and 5.8 million on Instagram. Jordan was a type of uncommon stars who may effortlessly bridge the generational hole; Gen Z grew to like him all through the COVID-19 pandemic, when he started posting recurrently on TikTok.
His witty movies, typically lamenting the ceaseless boredom of quarantine, lit up the darkest days of the pandemic for a lot of, together with his TikToks racking up tens of millions of views.
In stark distinction to the celebrities that filmed humorless movies complaining about being trapped inside cavernous mansions, Jordan’s affable, down-to-earth demeanor was each relatable and deeply compelling, proving a constant consolation throughout an excruciatingly troublesome time.
Jordan’s distinctive voice, sassy Southern accent, and signature “Nicely, shit” that opened most of his monologues rapidly turned a staple of quarantine leisure. Jordan appeared to grasp the attraction of TikTok effectively earlier than the app exploded in reputation, turning into swamped with celebrities and types; in a platform the place authenticity is essential to virality, Jordan was at all times himself.
In one in every of his early movies, from March 2020, Jordan acknowledged the unrelenting boredom and gradual trickling of pandemic time, asking his followers: “What are y’all doing? That is terrible. It is nonetheless March. What number of days in March?”
One other memorable video noticed Jordan gently mocking an article he learn within the New York Occasions about protected pandemic intercourse, during which he requested: “What are y’all doing? Screwing?”
The soundbite immediately exploded into an audio meme, and unfold like wildfire throughout TikTok (it has loved a resurgence within the wake of his passing).
Jordan wasn’t afraid to be foolish, or crude, and will effortlessly swap from a healthful anecdote to reminiscing about doing exhausting medication in his youth.
Jordan’s larger-than-life social media presence was noticed by lots of the stars who mourned him. Former Marvel Girl star Lynda Carter posted a tribute to Jordan on Twitter, writing:
“Leslie Jordan put a smile on the faces of so many, particularly together with his pandemic movies. What a feat to maintain us all laughing and related in such troublesome instances… It feels so merciless that this might occur to such a phenomenal soul.”
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham posted on Twitter:
“This information is simply horrendous. Leslie Jordan. You sunshine by means of our days. None extra so than your selfless heat and humour by means of world lockdown. So blessed I bought to inform you in individual what you’d meant to me.”
Jordan’s former Will & Grace co-star Megan Mullally wrote an extended and heartfelt tribute on Instagram, during which she talked about that social media had offered the right inventive outlet for Jordan, a spot the place he may converse on to the general public.
“How good it was that tens of millions of individuals had been capable of uncover the actual leslie and his love of life and unparalleled story-telling skills on instagram. he had a lot to share, and it meant a lot to him that lastly he’d discovered a car by means of which to share it. he was completely distinctive. one in every of a form.”
