Frances Sternhagen dead at 93: Sex and the City actress dies from natural causes

Kyle MacLachlan, Kristin Davis and Frances Sternhagen in a scene from Sex and the City.

American actress Frances Sternhagen has died at 93.

Daily Mail has reported the veteran actress - who earned two Tony Awards during her time acting, passed away peacefully from natural causes. Her family released a statement reading, “We continue to be inspired by her love and life.”

Her son, actor John Carlin, also shared a touching tribute on Instagram reading, “Frannie. Mom. Frances Sternhagen. On Monday night, Nov 27, she died peacefully at her home, a month and a half shy of her 94th birthday,” Carlin ended the tribute with “Fly on, Frannie. The curtain goes down on a life so richly, passionately, humbly and generously lived.”

The 93-year-old actress was most well known for her Sex and the City role as Charlotte York’s (Kirstin Davis) insufferable mother-in-law Bunny MacDougal in the early 2000s, however Sternhagen’s acting career spanned decades. She earned multiple awards and nominations portraying mothers in television series including Emmy awards for her roles in SATC and Esther Clavin on NBC’s Cheers.

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But her career took off long before we knew her as Bunny. Sternhagen was one of Broadway’s most celebrated and beloved stars having given impressive performances in multiple productions over the years including the 1972 production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window, Equus in 1975, Angel in 1978, On Golden Pond in 1979 and, in 2002, Morning’s at Seven.

Earning Tony nominations for all five of those shows, she won two Tonys in 1974 and 1995.

Elsewhere, the actress became known in the early days of her career for her scene-stealing appearances in Up the Down Staircase (1967), The Hospital (1971), and her most notable 1988 performance of the stern boss, in Bright Lights, Big City, where she starred alongside Michael J. Fox.

The beloved actress is survived by her six children, nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.