Cheyenne Jackson Recalls ‘Harrowing’ Moment ‘Call Me Kat’ Cast Learned of Leslie Jordan’s Death

Call Me Kat alum Cheyenne Jackson has opened up about the “harrowing” moment the Fox sitcom’s cast learned that their beloved co-star Leslie Jordan had died in a fatal car crash on his way to set.

Jackson was one of many of Jordan’s former co-stars and friends who gathered over the weekend to mark the one-year anniversary of the actor’s tragic passing. Jordan’s star was added to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars to honor his legacy.

Speaking at the event, Jackson said he first fell in love with Jordan as “a young queer 20-something-year-old in Idaho” watching Will & Grace, in which Jordan played fan-favorite Beverly.

“I remember he burst through the door and said, ‘Karen Walker, I thought I smelled gin and regret.’ And I thought, God, I hope I get to meet him one day,” Jackson stated. “And not only did I get to meet him, he became so dear to me — one of my very best friends. He was my sober buddy, so we knew each other in the AA rooms in West Hollywood. He was my comedy mentor and he was my dirty-mouthed little sidekick.”

Jackson also shared how he and the Call Me Kat reacted when they received the shocking news of Jordan’s passing.

Lisa Rose / ©Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

“It was harrowing and devastating,” Jackson told People. “I was on the phone with my husband [Jason Landau], who went to his apartment to see if he was there. I was sitting in the hallway in Warner Bros. with Mayim [Bialik] when the news broke.”

An autopsy report later revealed Jordan died after suffering a “sudden cardiac dysfunction” while driving to work. The medical episode is believed to have led to the fatal crash. Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 67 years old.

Call Me Kat temporarily shut down production following Jordan’s death to allow the cast to grieve.

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“There aren’t words to convey the loss we are experiencing as a cast and a Call Me Kat family,” Bialik, the sitcom’s lead star, said in a statement at the time. “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.”

Before Call Me Kat was canceled earlier this year, the show got to give Jordan’s character Phil a farewell, which included an off-screen wedding in Tahiti and a special post-episode tribute from his longtime friend, Dolly Parton.

It’s clear that Jordan made a positive impact on all those he met, and Jackson told People he would carry those happy memories forever, especially when he hears “filthy limericks, Dolly Parton, and gospel music.”

“He taught me to have fun. I can get very serious about my work,” Jackson stated, adding that Jordan taught him to “make the most of your time and laugh. And he told me to wear tighter pants.”