Kirstie Alley, Cheers Star, Dead at 71

Kirstie Alley, star of series like Cheers and Veronica's Closet, has passed away. She was 71 years old. 

The actress' children True and Lillie Parker confirmed Alley had passed away after a short battle with cancer on Monday. "We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered," they said in a statement.

"She was surrounded by her closest family and fought with great strength, leaving us with a certainty of her never-ending joy of living and whatever adventures lie ahead," they went on. "As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother."

Alley got her big break in 1987 when she starred as Rebecca Howe in iconic sitcom Cheers. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Best Actress in 1991. Over the course of her prolific career, Alley also appeared in series like Veronica's Closet, Fat Actress, and Scream Queens. She competed in reality series including Dancing With the Stars in 2011, and most recently The Masked Singer earlier this year. 

Stars and former co-stars of Alley's like John Travolta and Valerie Bertinelli took to social media to pay tribute to the actress. "Oh Kirstie. Rest in Peace," tweeted Bertinelli. 

"Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I've ever had. I love you Kirstie," wrote Travolta, who was also a fellow Scientologist. "I know we will see each other again."

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.