Mayim Bialik appeared on the Jennifer Hudson show on Tuesday and described the heartbreaking way she and the Call Me Kat cast and crew learned about Leslie Jordan’s death.
“We were all working and waiting for him to show up at work, so it was very, very, very complicated to have the whole crew there and the whole cast,” the 47-year-old alum of The Big Bang Theory shared. .
“You know, we were a family,” Bialik continued, adding that her show’s cast and crew was “actually one of the first shows post-lockdown.”
The Blossom alum added, “We were all really close, and people knew Leslie Jordan as Leslie Jordan, not necessarily just the character he played on our show. He has been in people’s lives, especially during COVID. He was in people’s Instagram feeds.
“A lot of people really bonded with him and he loved that. He liked to be approachable. He loved to be loved,” she said.
Call Me Kat: Mayim Bialik appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show Tuesday and described the heartbreaking way she and the Call Me Kat cast and crew learned about Leslie Jordan’s death
Co-stars: The beloved actor played Phil, an employee of Bialik’s character’s cat cafe
A family: “We were all working and waiting for him to show up at work, so it was very, very, very complicated to have the whole crew there and the whole cast,” The Big Bang Theory alum shared, 47,
She also explained that she absolutely loved that they kept his character alive on the show following Jordan’s death in a car accident following sudden heart failure on October 24 at the age of 67.
Jordan’s character Phil had an off-screen wedding in Tahiti and, at the end of that episode, a tribute from his old friend Dolly Parton.
30 Rock alum Jack McBrayer joined the cast as Gideon, the new addition to the cat cafe owned by Bialik’s character.
At the time of his passing, Bialik shared a statement on Instagram on behalf of the cast and crew of Call Me Kat calling Jordan a “dear mentor and beloved friend.”
“There are no words to convey the loss we experience as the cast and Call Me Kat family. Leslie Jordan was larger than life,” the statement read.
‘He was a gentleman from the South; tender, wise, mischievous and hilarious. We have come to know and love him at the height of his happiness and joy and it is unthinkable to imagine a world without our Leslie: the man who spat on his contact lenses before putting them in his eyes, the man who had a story about every man in Hollywood and some women too, the man who lived to make people laugh.
“We will take time to mourn and celebrate the many gifts Leslie has given to us and to the entire world and we appreciate privacy at this time.”
In another statement, Fox, the network that broadcasts Call Me Kat, mourned Jordan as “the nicest person you could ever imagine.”
Heartbreaking: The Big Bang Theory alum got candid about her shock and grief
Keeping him alive: She also explained that she absolutely loved that they kept his character alive on the show following Jordan’s death in a car accident following sudden cardiac failure on October 24 at the age of 67
Emmy winner: The Emmy-winning actor and comedian was buried in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee
Off-screen wedding: Jordan’s character of Phil had an off-screen wedding in Tahiti and, at the end of that episode, a tribute from his old friend Dolly Parton
“We are shocked and devastated by the tragic passing of Leslie Jordan today. Leslie was much more than an Emmy Award-winning comedic talent with whom we laughed all these years.
“He was the kindest person imaginable, who just lit up a room and brought pure joy and big smiles to millions of people around the world,” the statement continued.
“The uprightest of the Southern gentlemen, Leslie carried an infectious exuberance, an indelible sense of humor, and throughout gave us countless fond memories that will last forever.
“As we mourn this sad news, we also want to extend our deepest condolences to Leslie’s family, friends and fans, whom he held so dear.”
He was loved: “A lot of people really bonded with him and he loved that. He liked to be approachable. He loved being loved,” the Blossom alum said
Cast and crew: The cast and crew of Call Me Kat are a close-knit family
Leslie was an Emmy-winning actor for his role as Beverley Leslie in Will and Grace.
Jordan was buried in a private family service in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, but some 2,000 fans attended the public “Love.” Light. Leslie’s memorial in his honor at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium.
Proceeds from the event benefited Cempa Community Care, a local organization that provides health care and services to people living with HIV.
The beloved star was born on April 29, 1955.
A big farewell: two thousand fans attended the public ‘Love’. Light. Leslie’s memorial in his honor at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium in Jordan’s honor
Process: Mayim posted a heartfelt tribute to her late co-star on behalf of her show’s cast and crew