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Leslie Jordan, who died in October 2022, was one of the most beloved pop culture figures of the past few decades. A talented comedian and actor, he had an expansive career in both television and film, defying genres and earning new fans wherever he went. Well-known for his sense of humor and outspoken personality, Jordan frequently opened up to reporters and members of the media about his past, and the unconventional way he entered show business. Notably, in one 2021 interview with Ellen DeGeneres, the actor discussed his early career options, revealing that he wanted to be a jockey at one point in his life.
Leslie Jordan opened up about his love for horses
Born in Tennessee in 1955, Jordan was raised in a Southern Baptist family. According to IMDb, Jordan struggled with his deeply conservative upbringing. After his father was killed in a plane crash when he was just 11 years old, Jordan turned to comedy in order to help him cope. He moved to Los Angeles, where he became involved with drugs and alcohol. Eventually, Jordan was able to overcome his addictions with the help of journaling, and he began to consider his career options.
As he said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he even worked for a while exercising racehorses. “I grew up riding,” Jordan told DeGeneres. “I’ve ridden my whole life.” After DeGeneres remarked that Jordan could have been a jockey, the comedian said, “I wanted to…this was the problem,” he joked, grabbing his belly. “You have to weigh about 109,” Jordan said. “You have to be tiny.”
How did Leslie Jordan become an actor?
By the late ’80s, Jordan had started landing acting jobs in television shows. Over the years that followed, he appeared in such shows as Murphy Brown, The Fall Guy, Will & Grace, and Caroline in the City. He made a name for himself as a light-hearted comedian with an outrageous sense of humor — and he started earning fans in droves.
Never content to be pigeonholed in just one genre, Jordan made waves in 2013, when he appeared in the Ryan Murphy series American Horror Story: Coven. He became a recurring figure in the series, appearing in three seasons overall.
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The star also enjoyed a prolific career in movies, appearing in The Help, Sordid Lives, Love Ranch, and The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Versatile and talented, Jordan released a gospel album in 2021, and published his autobiography, How Y’all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived in April 2021.
Leslie Jordan earned new fans during the COVID-19 pandemic
Even after more than four decades in the entertainment industry, Jordan still had some tricks up his sleeve. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, he took to Instagram to share a series of hilarious videos about life in quarantine. Thanks to his iconic videos, Jordan earned more than 5.8 million followers in 2020.
After he reached one million followers, Jordan posted a special video in celebration, saying, “Nothing really changed, I’m still just sitting here watching murder programs. But you may wonder why I’ve got sunglasses and a little suit on because that’s the way that people dress who have one million Instagram followers.”
Sadly, Jordan died in October 2022, shocking fans all around the world. While he’s no longer around in person to share delightful remarks and social media videos, his influence on pop culture will live on for years to come.
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