Credit: ABC
Desperate Housewives Star Has Died
A star of Desperate Housewives and Star Trek has died.
The entertainment world is mourning the loss of another beloved actress who brought memorable characters to life on both television and film.
In a heartfelt statement, the star’s talent agent, Michael Greene, said: “She will go to Heaven! She was an incredible lady and artist.
“A true chameleon, was the complete opposite of this character in real life. What a Beautiful Lady.”
Greene praised the actress as someone who brought depth and authenticity to every role, describing her as ‘the complete opposite’ of some of her more sinister on-screen personas.
Fans also paid tribute, with one writing: “An incredible lady and true artist.”
Another added: “A remarkable actress and unforgettable presence.”
Lorna Raver’s television career included memorable appearances across multiple genres and decades.
She portrayed Judge Sullivan in the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives, bringing her characteristic gravitas to the courtroom scenes.
Her extensive television credits also included roles in ER as Dr. Anne Adelstein, appearances in Star Trek: Voyager, Gilmore Girls, NYPD Blue, Grey’s Anatomy, and Nip/Tuck.
One of Raver’s most substantial television roles was in The Young and the Restless, where she appeared in 26 episodes between 1997 and 2007, playing both Rebecca Kaplan and Helen Miller.
She also worked extensively with producer David E. Kelley, appearing as judges in The Practice, Ally McBeal, and Boston Legal.
Beyond television, she gained critical acclaim for her work in horror cinema, most notably as Mrs. Ganush in Sam Raimi’s 2009 film Drag Me to Hell, which was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $90 million worldwide.
Speaking of her most recognized performance, Raver said, per The Hollywood Reporter: “What I liked about the character was that she was powerful.”
Interestingly, she admitted to being unfamiliar with the horror genre before taking the role.
“I was so ignorant of the whole horror genre that I had never even heard of the Evil Dead movies. I was definitely interested in doing it because of Sam Raimi, but I was not fully aware of exactly what I was getting into until it happened,” she commented.
Born on October 9, 1943, in York, Pennsylvania, Raver began her acting career at the Hedgerow Theater outside Philadelphia before moving to New York City.
After working in Chicago theater, she relocated to Los Angeles where she continued her stage work while building her screen career.
Her screen debut came in 1990 with Donald Petrie’s Opportunity Knocks, and she went on to appear in films including Freeway (1996) alongside Reese Witherspoon and Armored (2009).
Away from acting, she was also an accomplished audiobook narrator, earning multiple Earphones Awards for her work, per The Sun.
Raver was in a long-term relationship with writer and radio producer Yuri Rasovsky, a Peabody Award winner who passed away in January 2012 at age 67 after 25 years together.
She retired from acting in 2014 after her final screen credit in Rushlights (2013), having built a remarkable career that spanned stage, screen, and audio work.
Raver died on May 12, 2025, at the age of 81.
Her death was announced in the ‘In Memoriam’ section of SAG-AFTRA’s Summer 2025 magazine edition. No cause of death has been disclosed.
Related Article: The Walking Dead Star Has Died Aged 33
Related Article: Love Actually Star Has Died
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
