Frances Sternhagen, 'Sex and the City' Actor, Dies

Frances Sternhagen, a Tony Award-winning actor who found fame on stage in "Driving Miss Daisy" and on screen in "Cheers" and "Sex and the City," died Monday at 93 at her home in New York City, according to her son, John Carlin.

"Frannie," John Carlin wrote on Instagram. "Mom. Frances Sternhagen. On Monday night, Nov 27, she died peacefully at her home, a month and a half shy of her 94th birthday … Fly on, Frannie. The curtain goes down on a life so richly, passionately, humbly and generously lived."

Sternhagen earned two Tonys for distinct roles in theater: Aunt Lavinia in the 1995 revival of "The Heiress" and for various characters in "The Good Doctor," according to The Guardian.

However, she gained widespread recognition in TV for roles like Cliff Clavin's mother in "Cheers," Dr. John Carter's grandmother in "ER," and Trey MacDougal's mother in "Sex and the City," earning three Emmy nominations: two for "Cheers" and one for "Sex and the City." Her recent credits include portraying Kyra Sedgwick's mother on "The Closer."

Sternhagen's extensive career includes appearances in over 25 movies, including "Misery," "Bright Lights," "Big City," "Julie & Julia," "The Hospital," and "Independence Day."

Born on Jan. 13, 1930, Sternhagen attended Potomac School and Madeira School in Virginia before going to Vassar College. Initially studying history, she later switched to drama after a suggestion from an adviser.

After graduating in 1951, she briefly taught at Milton Academy and attempted theater auditions without success. Returning to Washington, she took theater courses at the Catholic University of America and began acting in Arena Stage productions.

At 25, she debuted on the New York stage in Jean Anouilh's Thieves' Carnival at the Cherry Lane Theater. Just a year later, in 1956, she earned her first Obie Award for The Admirable Bashville. Her subsequent Obie wins came in 1965 for her roles in "The Room" and "A Slight Ache."

Sternhagen is survived by her six children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.