Valerie Mahaffeyhas sadly passed away at the age of 71 after a battle with cancer. She will be remembered for her work inYoung SheldonandJack and Jill, and also for starring alongsideTim AlleninJungle 2 Jungle. We send our condolences to Mahaffey’s friends and family during this difficult time.
It’s unclear how long she had been battling cancer. Mahaffey was born on July 02, 2025, in Sumatra, Indonesia. Hailing from an American family, her father was a petroleum worker, which led to their family moving around during her childhood. She spent many of her early years in Indonesia, Nigeria, and the U.K. It wasn’t until she was 16 that her family relocated to Austin, Texas, and she ultimately graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts before beginning her Broadway and Hollywood careers.
Mahaffey made her acting debut in 1997 onTell Me My Name, a drama written byJoanne Leeand directed byDelbert Mannthat starsBarbara Barrie,Dawn Greenhalgh, andArthur Hill. In the years since, she has featured in more than 80 projects, including most recently starring alongsideDarren MannandPhoebe TonkininThe 8th Day, the crime drama that’s available to rent or purchase onPrime Video. The film was released earlier this year on March 14, and it will likely serve as her final acting role.
Mahaffey was also an Emmy Award-winning star for her role as Eve inNorthern Exposure. She won the award in 1992. Mahaffey only featured in five episodes of the show, but she left a lasting impact with her performance and she’ll forever be remembered as an Emmy-winning performer.Northern Exposurealso starsRob Morrow,Janine Turner, andBarry Corbin, and the show was written and created for television byJoshua BrandandJohn Falsey.
Mahaffey Has Starred With Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Jerry Seinfeld, and More
Another of Mahaffey’s most famous roles came from starring oppositeTom Hanks,Aaron Eckhart, andLaura LinneyinSully, the 2016 film documentingChesley Sullenberger’s miracle of landing his damaged plane on the Hudson River. She also featured alongside Tim Allen inJungle 2 Jungle, the 1997 slapstick comedy withMartin Shortthat’s currently streaming onDisney+. Her role as Annie Howard inSeabiscuitwill also live on forever, and the film can currently be rented on Prime Video for less than $4. She’s also known for starring as Patrice in an episode ofSeinfeld, and for for playing Victoria MacElroy in 14 episodes ofYoung Sheldonbetween 2017 and 2020.
Mahaffey will always be remembered for her Emmy Award-winning role inNorthern Exposure, and for bringing a bright light to dozens of other projects throughout her early 50-year-spanning career.
Young Sheldon
