Debbie Reynolds‘ Will & Grace TV family grieved the actress’ death with the rest of Hollywood on Wednesday, Dec. 28. As previously reported, Reynolds died at the age of 84 one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher‘s untimely death on Tuesday.
Back in the late ’90s and early 2000s, the Singin’ in the Rain star played Bobbi Adler, the mother of Debra Messing‘s Grace Adler, on 10 episodes of NBC’s Will & Grace. She earned an Emmy nomination for the role in 2000, in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series category. (See some of her other memorable roles in the video above.)
Amid the news of Reynolds’ death on Wednesday, Messing took to Twitter and Instagram to pay tribute to her TV mom, who made her last appearance on the sitcom in the final season in 2006. “So heartsick. Debbie went to be with Carrie,” the Starter Wife actress, 48, tweeted. “It’s such a devastating 1,2 punch. She was my ‘mom’ for years & I loved her dearly. A legend.”
Messing also posted a photo of herself with Reynolds on Instagram, where she elaborated on her friendship with the late icon. “Debbie went to be with Carrie. She always worried about her. Carrie left too soon and now they are together again,” she wrote. “My heart is literally broken. … She was pure energy & light when she came on stage. She was loving, and bawdy, and playful — a consummate pro — old school and yet had the work ethic and investment in her craft of a new fiery up and comer.”
Messing continued: “An inspiration on every level. A legend, of course, the epitome of clean cut American optimism, dancing with Gene Kelly as an equal, a warrior woman who never stopped working. A devoted mother and grandmother, and aunt and great aunt, and friend. I lost my mom a few years ago. She loved that Debbie was my TV mom. I hope they find each other and hug and kiss and my mom says, ‘I got you, Debbie. Carrie’s waiting for you.’ RIP Bobbie Adler.”
Other Will & Grace cast members paid tribute as well. Sean Hayes, who played Jack on the show, tweeted, “It is beyond astonishing that both @carrieffisher & @DebbieReynolds1 have left this earth. I overwhelmingly adored & admired them both.”
And Eric McCormack, who played Will to Messing’s Grace, wrote: “The combination of the loss of @carrieffisher & then her mom @DebbieReynolds1 is too much. I’m really at a loss here… #toomuch16”
