**Valerie Mahaffey, Emmy-Winning Actress Known for Quirky Villains, Dies at 71**

Valerie Mahaffey, celebrated for her portrayals of eccentric and occasionally sinister characters on television, passed away on Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 71. Her husband, actor Joseph Kell, confirmed that the cause was cancer, lamenting the loss of "the love of my life."

Mahaffey's acting journey began with a steady role on the NBC daytime soap "The Doctors" in which she earned a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1980. Her career spanned five decades, featuring prominent roles in acclaimed TV series such as "Desperate Housewives," "Northern Exposure," and "Devious Maids." More recently, she appeared in the crime thriller "The 8th Day," released this past March.

Valerie Mahaffey is perhaps best remembered for her role as Alma Hodge in "Desperate Housewives" where she depicted a woman in a troubled marriage who fakes her own death in an elaborate scheme to frame her husband. Her talent for playing multifaceted characters shone through again in the 1990s CBS series "Northern Exposure." Her performance as the hypochondriac Eve earned her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1992.

Ms. Mahaffey's versatility extended to film, with her recent performance in the 2020 dark comedy "French Exit" garnering critical acclaim. She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of the eccentric widow Madame Reynard. Reflecting on her career in a 2021 interview with Gold Derby, Mahaffey expressed her desire for authenticity in her roles, stating, "I know how to be funny. I've done sitcoms. I know ba-dum-bum humor. Maybe it's this point in my life. I don't want any artifice. And I wanted to play the truth of every moment."

Born on June 16, 1953, in Sumatra, Indonesia, Valerie Mahaffey's early life was marked by frequent relocations due to her father's work in the oil industry. The family lived in various countries, including Nigeria, before settling in Austin, Texas. She later graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Texas in 1975. These moves fostered a strong familial bond, as Mahaffey recalled in a 1983 interview with The New York Times, stating, "We had to leave friends behind all the time, and so we turned toward one another."

In addition to her husband, Valerie Mahaffey is survived by their daughter, Alice Richards. Claire Fahy reports on New York City and the surrounding area for The Times.