Actress Linda Porter has passed away due to an illness, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actress, known for her role of Myrtle on NBC’s Superstore, was 86 years old. The actress played the character since the sitcom’s first season.
“Linda wasn’t just hilarious, she was incredibly sweet, energetic and enthusiastic. Working with her brightened everyone’s day,” said executive producers Jonathan Green and Gabe Miller in a statement. “We’re lucky to have been a small part of her long career. The ‘Superstore’ family won’t be the same without her.”
She played the role of the sweet and sometimes aggressive old lady in the series. Her character was laid off from the Cloud 9 store, where the workplace sitcom is set, in season 3 but returned to recur throughout season 4. She is not expected to be featured in the show’s latest season, according to Variety.
“Here’s hoping the angels don’t call cut right away because your best stuff always came at the end,” her fellow co-star and series lead, Ben Feldman (Friday the 13th) tweeted. “We’ll miss you Linda Porter.”
“The Superstore team lost one of its best members. RIP Linda Porter,” co-star Lauren Ash (The Disaster Artist) also took to Twitter to express her condolences. “Always funny, always vibrant and always enthusiastic. I don’t know that anyone loved our show more than Linda. Both you and Myrtle will be deeply missed.”
Porter also appeared in the reboot of the Showtime crime drama Twin Peaks, and played other roles in series such as The X-Files, American Horror Story, The Mindy Project, Two Broke Girls and ER. The actress also had recurring role on popular comedy-drama series Gilmore Girls, as well.
The star was born in Cleveland, Ohio and started her acting career in a 1988 episode of Beauty and the Beast.
Superstore created by Justin Spitzer (The Office), premiered its fifth season on Sept. 26.