Piper Laurie, Oscar-Nominated Star Of Carrie And Twin Peaks, Dead At 91

Piper Laurie, best known for lending her talents to "Carrie" and "Twin Peaks," has passed away. The silver screen icon was 91. 

Laurie, a three-time Oscar nominee, died Saturday morning in Los Angeles (per The Hollywood Reporter). Marion Rosenberg, the actor's rep, told THR that Laurie was feeling unwell for quite awhile. Her final film role is 2018's "White Boy Rick," which starred Matthew McConaughey. While her output in recent years was minimal, Laurie was a cinematic force to be reckoned with, making her debut back in 1950's "Louisa," which happened to feature Ronald Reagan. Having signed a contract with Universal Pictures, Laurie appeared in a number of their productions, including "The Prince Who Was a Thief" and "Son of Ali Baba" — two films that she starred in alongside Tony Curtis.

While speaking with Pop Matters in 2012, Laurie candidly reflected on her career, discussing just how impactful the Universal Pictures' contract was, especially after wanting to cement a place in New York theater. After noting her initial surprise, she explained, "It was so flattering, that they wanted me, and that they were going to pay me for doing what I loved to do." The star famously grew upset with the average roles Universal kept awarding her, saying, "I got trapped into something that I wasn't expecting. I knew nothing about the kind of movies that Universal made at that time. I was forced to lower my standards. I didn't really lower my standards, it was just agony I must say, to have to play the parts in the movies that they gave me."

Laurie eventually broke her contract with Universal, but that didn't end her relationship with show business.

Piper Laurie eventually leaped to the small screen, popping up in "Playhouse 90" episodes and several television films. Over her nearly seven-decade career, Laurie nipped 9 Emmy nominations, eventually winning one Supporting Actress statue for the CBS television flick "Promise" in 1987. The star is also best remembered for her Oscar-nominated roles.

In 1962, Laurie received a Best Actress nod for the Paul Newman flick "The Hustler," widely considered one of the most beloved films from that decade. The actor took a lengthy hiatus from cinema to raise her daughter in New York. She eventually returned to multiplexes throughout the country in 1976 with Brian De Palma's iconic "Carrie," which saw her become the shrewd and cruel mother to the titular telekinetic. Laurie got her second Oscar nod for that film — this time for Best Supporting Actress.

While speaking with Fox News in 2022, Laurie gushed about how much she adored working on "Carrie," a film that instantly became a horror classic. "I think it was a terrific movie," she discussed before explaining how the film frightened her daughter and friends. "When they would come to visit, they would not look at me in the face! They would just go straight to her room."

Piper also received an Oscar nomination for 1986's "Children of a Lesser God," which stands out as one of Randa Haines's most memorable pictures.

Piper Laurie boasted an extremely diverse and complex filmography, dabbling in various genres and roles throughout the years. Perhaps her most iconic gig (besides "Carrie") was playing the devious Catherine Martell in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" series. Martell was a key part of the "Twin Peaks" mythos, but not enough to return for the 2017 revival, dubbed "The Return." 

In a 2016 conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Laurie expressed her disappointment in not being asked to return, discussing how eager she was to step back into Martell's complicated (and goofy) shoes. "I made it very clear to David and the team that I would be delighted to come back," she said, adding, "I had a fantastic time on the original and won lots of awards. I'm surprised and I have no idea why I haven't been called back..." 

Ultimately, Laurie was one of Hollywood's most talented and gifted stars, appearing in a number of iconic roles throughout her career. Ask any cinephile or television junkie and they'll each point to a different standout in Laurie's filmography, proving just how versatile the "Carrie" star was. 

Following the confirmation of Laurie's death, several of her fans took to social media to pay tribute to her. "RIP to Piper Laurie, an amazing actress who could play both a damaged love heroine in The Hustler & the monstrous mother in Carrie," shared X user, formerly known as Twitter, @danielmaycock. "Piper Laurie didn't just understand the assignment, she ripped up the syllabus and came back with something even bolder," @MichaelVarrati commented, adding that her "character work was exceptional." One Redditor wrote, "What a career! To be a piece of such iconic and memorable work. Thank you for sharing your life and work with us all."