Kirstie Alley’s most iconic role was Rebecca Howe in Cheers (Picture: CBS via Getty Images)
After Kirstie Alley’s death at the age of 71, many, including her co-stars across the globe, are remembering her incredible career.
Starting in 1978, Alley enjoyed a decades-long career, and ensured several of her roles will go down in TV history – most notably, her portrayal of Cheers character Rebecca Howe.
From memorable films and iconic comedy TV, to even creating her own series and taking on reality TV in her later years, Alley’s career won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
Despite being best known for her TV roles, Alley started out in film, with her first credited role being in the 1981 film One More Chance.
She went on to appear in the William Shatner-led Star Trek film The Wrath of Khan in 1982, and then in the John Hurt film Champions, and Michael Crichton’s Runaway in 1984.
However, it was in 1987 that everything changed for Alley.
She was cast in the comedy Cheers, which had already been running for five years at this point.
One of her first film roles was in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Picture: CBS via Getty Images)
The cast of Cheers: (Top) Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, Ted Danson as Sam Malone, Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, (bottom) John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin, Rhea Perlman as Carla Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe, George Wendt as Norm Peterson (Picture: NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
Kirstie joined Cheers in 1987 (Picture: NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
After Shelley Long’s departure as Diane Chambers, the writers were on the lookout for a new female lead.
Alley took on the role of bar manager Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom, joining the cast, which included Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane, Ted Danson as Sam Malone, and Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli, in season six, and remaining on the show until the final season in 1993.
She won accolades including a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy or musical series and an Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.
After Cheers, Alley continued to receive accolades, securing her second Emmy for her role as Sally Goodson in the TV movie David’s Mother.
She received her second Emmy in 1994 (Picture: Mediapunch/Shutterstock)
Alley appeared alongside John Travolta in Look Who’s Talking (Picture: TriStar Pictures/Getty Images)
The pair, pictured in 2019, remained close friends (Picture: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
In 1989, Kirstie also starred in Look Who’s Talking alongside John Travolta, whose friendship lasted through the rest of her life.
She went on to reprise her role as Mollie in Look Who’s Talking Too in 1990, and Look Who’s Talking Now in 1993.
Throughout the 90s, she continued to appear in various films and have smaller roles in TV series, but her next iconic role would come in 1997, with her portrayal of Veronica Chase in Veronica’s Closet.
The sitcom, created by Friends writers David Crane and Marta Kauffman, followed lingerie saleswoman Veronica, who leaves her cheating husband Bryce (Christopher McDonald) and decides to embark on life as a single woman.
Alley also starred in sitcom Veronica’s Closet in 1999 (Picture: Getty Images)
She documented her weight loss in her series Fat Actress (Picture: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
2016 saw Alley star in Scream Queens alongside Abigail Breslin, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Stamos, and Emma Roberts (Picture: FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)
In the 2000s, Alley started to document her experience with weight loss.
She created her comedy series, Fat Actress, in which she starred as a fictionalised version of herself, and gave a humorous view of her struggles to lose weight and revive her career.
Various of her celebrity friends made cameos, including Grease star John, Kid Rock, and Rhea Perlman.
In 2016, Alley also appeared in the well-loved anthology series Scream Queens, appearing alongside Emma Roberts, Abigail Breslin, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
From 2010 onwards, Alley also took on reality TV, with her weight loss journey being documented on Kirstie Alley’s Big Life.
On Dancing With The Stars, she was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Picture: Adam Taylor/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
In 2018, she came second on the final series of Celebrity Big Brother (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
Just this year, she was unmasked on The Masked Singer (Picture: Fox TV / BACKGRID)
In 2011, she competed on Dancing With The Stars and was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She ended up coming second, with Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward being crowned the winner.
In 2018, Alley appeared on the final series of Celebrity Big Brother alongside fellow stars including reality star Jessica Alves, actress Roxanne Pallett, Love Island star Gabby Allen, reality star Dan Osborne, and soap star Ryan Thomas, who won the show.
She finished second, leaving the house on the final day.
Alley’s final film role was in 2020, in the TV movie You Can’t Take My Daughter.
However, just this year, she controversially appeared on The Masked Singer as Baby Mammoth, being unmasked one week after Rudy Guiliani.
Over the past few years, Alley hit headlines as a result of her political views.
In 2016, she said she would be supporting Donald Trump in the presidential election, before retracting her support for all candidates.
However, in 2020, she said she had voted for Trump and intended to vote for him again.
Earlier this year, Alley also tweeted about the Ukraine war, saying: ‘I don’t know what’s real or what is fake in this war. So I won’t be commenting. I’ll pray instead,’ a post that her DWTS partner Maxim responded to.
Alley’s Scream Queens co-star Jamie Lee Curtis referenced their differing views in her tribute, saying: ‘I’ve just heard the sad news that Kirstie Alley has died.
‘She was a great comic foil in Scream Queens and a beautiful mama bear in her very real life. She helped me buy onesies for my family that year for Christmas.
‘We agreed to disagree about some things but had a mutual respect and connection. Sad news.’
Alley’s close friend, John Travolta, issued a heartfelt statement, saying: ‘Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.’
Cheers stars including Kelsey Grammer, Ted Danson, and Rhea Perlman have also paid tribute.
MORE : Kirstie Alley’s Cheers co-star Kelsey Grammer leads tributes following her death aged 71
MORE : Cheers star Kirstie Alley dies aged 71 after cancer diagnosis
Follow Metro on Snapchat
You can follow our new Snapchat show Pop Cultur’d, the go-to place for all things pop culture.
Keep up with the latest Showbiz exclusives by following Metro Showbiz on Snapchat.
And football fans can indulge in all the transfer gossip and more on Metro Football on Snapchat.
Tributes have been pouring in for the late Kirstie Alley.
