Fox Pauses Production on Call Me Kat After Leslie Jordan’s Death

Fox has paused production on the sitcom Call Me Kat following the death of actor Leslie Jordan on Monday. According to TVLine, the series will pause work on its third season for an indefinite period time. Jordan, who played cafe baker Phil on the series, had already filmed nine episodes of the season at the time of his death, four episodes of which have already aired. Jordan’s Call Me Kat co-stars also took to social media to remember the actor, with series star Mayim Bialik calling him “larger than life”.

“There aren’t words to convey the loss we are experiencing as a cast and a Call Me Kat family,” Bialik wrote. “Leslie Jordan was larger than life. He was a Southern gentleman; tender, wise, naughty and hilarious. We got to know and love him at the height of his happiness and joy and it is inconceivable to imagine a world without our Leslie: the man who would spit on his contact lenses before putting them in his eyes, the man who had a story about every many in Hollywood and some of the women as well, the man who lived to make people laugh. We will be taking time to grieve and to celebrate the many gifts Leslie gave us and to the entire world and we appreciate privacy at this time.”

Cheyenne Jackson also paid tribute to Jordan, writing on Instagram that his heart “is broken in half today”.

“My. heart is broken in half today,” Jackson wrote. “From the moment I saw him bellow the phrase ‘Karen Walker, I thought I smelled gin and regret’ on Will & Grace… I was forever a fan. Then I was lucky enough to become his friend in real life. He was my mentor, my sober brother, and my unofficial comedy coach. (I paid him in complements, not actual cash) … He was equal parts silly and serious, broad and subtle, and always ALWAYS kind. He was professional and soulful and heartbreakingly talented.”

“We are shocked and devastated by today’s tragic passing of Leslie Jordan,” a rep for Fox said in a statement. “Leslie was far more than an Emmy Award winning comedic talent with whom we’ve laughed alongside for all these years. He was the kindest person you could ever imagine who simply lit up a room and brought pure joy and huge smiles to millions of people around the world. The truest of Southern Gentlemen, Leslie carried an infectious exuberance, indelible sense of humor and, throughout, gifted us with countless fond memories that will last forever. As we grieve this sad news, we also wish to extend our most profound sympathies to Leslie’s family, friends and fans, whom he held so dear.”

Jordan died on Monday at the age of 67 following a single-car accident in Los Angeles. It’s suspected that the actor suffered some sort of medical emergency leading to the crash. In addition to his role on Call Me Kat, Jordan is also well known for roles on American Horror Story, The Cool Kids, Will & Grace, and many more. At this time, it is unclear when Jordan’s final episode of Call Me Kat will air.