Will & Grace Actor Corey Parker Dies at 60 After Cancer Battle, Tributes Pour In
- American actor and acting coach Corey Parker has reportedly died at age 60 after battling cancer, passing away in Memphis, according to PEOPLE Magazine
- Parker began acting as a child and gained recognition for roles in films like Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning and TV series, including Will & Grace
- Tributes poured in from fans and colleagues who remembered him as a generous mentor and talented performer and celebrated his impact on the acting community
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Hollywood veteran turned acting coach, Corey Parker, has reportedly died, stirring grief among fans and loved ones.
Source: Getty Images
Corey tragically passed away on March 5, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee, after a gruelling battle with cancer. He was 60 years old.
PEOPLE Magazine reported the actor’s demise via his manager, Chris Ahuja, who shared a statement with the publication.
"Corey Parker was an incredible human being. He was a friend, a mentor, and a deeply supportive soul to so many people in the acting community,” Ahuja said.
"I had the privilege of knowing him personally, and like countless others, I was inspired by his generosity, wisdom, and dedication to helping actors grow in their craft. He will be deeply missed."
Who was Corey Parker?
Corey Parker was born on July 8, 1965, in New York City and began acting as a child, according to PEOPLE. He honed his craft with teachers from the Actors Studio at 14-years-old and later graduated from the High School of Performing Arts in Manhattan.
He hailed from an acting family; his mother, Rocky Parker, and his sister, Nicole, were both celebrated actors in their heyday.
Parker began his Hollywood stint in the mid-1980s when he landed the role of Pete in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning. His performance earned him a formidable reputation in the horror genre, but he continued to display his multifaceted and versatile talent in other productions.
He landed multiple TV roles, including The New Leave It to Beaver, At Mother’s Request, The Bronx Zoo, and CBS Summer Playhouse.
He landed one of his memorable roles as Josh, one of Grace’s boyfriends, on the smash hit NBC series, Will & Grace.
Later in his career, Corey Parker transitioned into an acting coach, drawing on decades of stage and screen experience to mentor young performers.
Below is a YouTube video of Parker in Will & Grace.
Reactions to Corey Parker’s death
YEN.com.gh compiled some comments reacting to the tragic passing of actor Corey Parker.
Colleen Delaney said:
"If I’m not mistaken, he was in the show Thirtysomething, and his mother was married to Patrick Dempsey in the late 80s, early 90s. He and Dempsey were about the same age, so that was an odd thing."
Scott Schuerger wrote:
"Does anyone remember the sitcom Flying Blind that he was on with Tea Leoni? That's the first thing I ever saw him in."
Rebekah Wilson commented:
"Fellas, you're never too young to get your PSA checked. It's literally a blood test. Prostate cancer isn't just an old man's disease."
Source: Getty Images
Pulp Fiction actor passes away
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that legendary Pulp Fiction actor, Stephen Hibbert, remembered for his role as the Gimp, sadly passed away.
Hibbert died on March 2, 2026, after suffering a heart attack, his family confirmed to the popular website TMZ.
Source: YEN.com.gh
