Kimberly Hébert Gregory, ‘Vice Principals’ Star, Dies at 52

Kimberly Hébert Gregory, who famously starred on HBO’s comedy series Vice Principals, has died. She was 52 years old and the actress leaves behind a son. Gregory’s passing was announced by her ex-husband, Chester Gregory. Posting on Instagram, Gregory said she’d died on Friday, Oct. 3.

“Kimberly Hébert Gregory / You Were Brilliance Embodied, / A Black Woman Whose Mind Lit Every Room, / Whose Presence Carried Both Fire And Grace. / You Taught Us Lessons In Courage, / In Artistry, In Resilience, / And In How To Keep Showing Up, / Even When Life Demanded More Than Its Share,” he wrote.

Kimberly was born and raised in Houston. She graduated from The High School for Performing and Visual Arts before attending Mount Holyoke College, where she received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She later pursued a master’s in social work from the University of Chicago, where she would appear in multiple Chicago area theater productions. Gregory was nominated for best supporting actress in a play at the 1998 Joseph Jefferson Awards Equity Branch for her performance in Shakin’ the Mess Outta Misery. According to Deadline, she was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

She made her first film appearance in 2007s Chris Rock vehicle, I Think I Love My Wife, before going on to appear in a number of movies and television shows, including Two and a Half Men, Law & Order, Shameless, Gossip Girl, The Big Bang Theory, Grey’s Anatomy, The Act, Dollface, All Rise, Barry, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Better Call Saul and The Chi.

She would land her breakout role on Danny McBride’s dark comedy, Vice Principals. Airing for two seasons on HBO from 2016 to 2017, the series featured McBride and co-star Walton Goggins as two petty, selfish vice principals sparring with their school’s new principal (Gregory) for the top job. As Dr. Belinda Brown, Gregory went toe-to-toe with McBride and Goggins, who remembered his former co-star with an Instagram post.

“I had the honor… the good fortune of getting to know, getting to spend months working with this Queen on Vice Principals,” Goggins wrote. “She made me laugh like no other. A professional's professional. A gatdamn SOPRANO that never missed a note.”

Jason Ritter co-starred with Gregory on the sitcom Kevin (Probably) Saves The World. Ritter commented under Goggins’ post.

“I am so sorry… absolutely heartbreaking. She was so brilliant and so kind, she will be so so missed by all of us lucky enough to know her.”