Tom Skerritt, the Emmy-winning actor known for portraying steady, sharp-witted authority figures—from the flight instructor in “Top Gun” to the tough but principled sheriff on television’s “Picket Fences” and the doomed captain in “Alien”—has died at 93.

Skerritt died Wednesday of natural causes, his family said in a statement. “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and the love he brought into our lives. He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world and helping others find and share their own voices,” the statement said.

He received two Emmy nominations for “Picket Fences” and won outstanding lead actor in a drama series in 1993. Skerritt’s other notable film credits included “A River Runs Through It,” “The Turning Point,” in which he played Shirley MacLaine’s patient husband, and “Steel Magnolias,” where he portrayed Sally Field’s husband. In “Contact,” he played a calculating opportunist who opposed Jodie Foster’s effort to communicate with extraterrestrial life.

“A writer once described me as a character actor locked in a leading man’s body, and I’ve always loved that. It’s a nice compliment. I’ve been able to walk the line between television and features,” Skerritt told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1997.

Skerritt also worked extensively onstage. He narrated “Our Town” at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre in 2004 before making his Broadway debut in 2013 in an adaptation of John Grisham’s “A Time to Kill.” The Associated Press praised his performance, writing that he “nicely pulls off a charming disgraced and drunken lawyer.”

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He is survived by his wife, Julie; his children, Andy, Erin, Matt, Collin and Emiko; his grandchildren, Sara, Maddison, Sunny, Louisa and Georgia; and his great-grandchildren, Marigold and Ravi.

“Tom believed deeply in the power of storytelling. He helped found TheFilmSchool in Seattle to support the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers,” his family said. That commitment later led to the Red Badge Project, which Skerritt co-founded to help veterans address PTSD, anxiety and depression by writing about and sharing their experiences.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The chief executive and employees of Stew Leonard’s cannot be sued individually over the death of a New York City professional ballet dancer who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating a holiday cookie containing undisclosed peanuts.

Waterbury Superior Court Judge Kimberly Massicotte ruled Oct. 15 that Orla Baxendale’s family and estate cannot hold Stew Leonard Jr. and other grocery employees personally liable in wrongful-death claims brought under the Connecticut Product Liability Act, according to court records obtained by Allergic Living.

The case will continue against Stew Leonard’s Holdings LLC, Stew Leonard’s Danbury LLC and Cookies United, the Long Island wholesaler that made the cookie.

Baxendale, 25, died of anaphylactic shock after eating a vanilla Florentine cookie from a Stew Leonard’s-branded box at a Connecticut social gathering on Jan. 11, 2024.

An investigation into her death determined that the product’s packaging failed to disclose peanuts, an ingredient to which Baxendale was severely allergic.

An EpiPen was administered in an effort to save her, “but due to the severity of her allergy, it was not effective,” an attorney for her estate previously said.

Baxendale was born in Manchester, England, and moved to New York in 2018 after receiving a scholarship to study at The Ailey School.

She later worked with several choreographers and performed in professional productions, including events connected to New York Fashion Week and Lincoln Center.

After her death, her family and estate filed a wide-ranging wrongful-death lawsuit alleging that the defendants negligently failed to ensure the cookie package carried an accurate ingredient label.

Stew Leonard’s has said Cookies United replaced soy nuts with peanuts in the recipe without notifying the grocery chain’s chief safety officer.

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Cookies United disputes that account. The wholesaler has said it notified Stew Leonard’s in July 2023 by emailing several employees that peanuts had been added, according to Allergic Living. Those employees were all named in the original lawsuit.

Baxendale’s estate contends that the employees failed to respond to those notices, resulting in peanuts being omitted from the product label.

Massicotte had dismissed claims against individual Stew Leonard’s executives and employees on Sept. 16, 2025. Baxendale’s attorneys later amended the complaint under the Connecticut Product Liability Act, again naming Stew Leonard’s, Cookies United and individual defendants, including Stew Leonard Jr., court records show.

Although the ruling protects the individual executives and employees from personal liability, Howard Hershenhorn, the attorney representing Baxendale’s estate, said it would not prevent the family from pursuing Stew Leonard’s over what he described as “reckless” conduct.

“Stew Leonard’s did not have any systems in place to make certain that ingredients that were contained within the product were absolutely listed on the labels,” Hershenhorn told Newsday.

“They had no fail-safe systems in place at the time.”

Hershenhorn also accused the grocery chain of doing “nothing to progress the case forward except for obfuscate and attempt every potential procedural maneuver.”

“We’re having none of it and we’re right back in their face at every point to make sure this never happens again,” Hershenhorn told Allergic Living.

Hershenhorn said other Stew Leonard’s customers have contacted his firm since Baxendale’s death drew national attention, reporting labeling issues they allegedly encountered at the grocery chain.

Under a settlement with Connecticut, Stew Leonard’s paid $50,000 to the state Department of Consumer Protection and donated $200,000 to a nonprofit focused on food allergies and anaphylaxis, Newsday reported.

The case is scheduled to go to trial in Waterbury Superior Court in May 2027.

Meghan Markle has taken her As Ever lifestyle brand into homeware, unveiling a new teapot and table mats as part of the label’s second Christmas collection after months of speculation.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, launched As Ever’s $148 advent calendar earlier this month. It marks her first commercial venture since returning to the UK with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.

As Ever’s product range has grown quickly. Before introducing its latest home accessories, the brand launched three hampers—including the £180 ($242) Parlour Basket—as well as a collection of playing cards.

The former actress has now added more seasonal offerings, including a new tabletop range of crockery and napkins, a two-wick candle and a reed diffuser, all pitched as holiday gifts.

“Chapter Two” of Meghan’s festive collection features “sweet treats,” fragrances, the “Trellis tabletop collection” and what the brand describes as “thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list,” according to a post shared on As Ever’s official Instagram account.

The accompanying image showed woven copper coasters, a blue teacup and saucer, jam cookies and Meghan’s signature As Ever raspberry spread arranged on a wooden table.

The new products are currently available only in the US. However, speculation has mounted in recent weeks that Meghan could eventually bring As Ever’s £11 tea tins and £50 scented candles to the UK.

Meghan offered an early glimpse of “Chapter Two” in a newsletter sent to subscribers on Wednesday evening. The message, titled “Hosting with Heart,” focused on her approach to entertaining.

She said her “secret to hosting with ease” is “preparation,” encouraging readers to “take care of the little details before the doorbell rings.”

Among the new arrivals is a $130 “heirloom handwoven rattan charger set,” alongside a blue-and-white porcelain teapot priced at $98, or approximately £73.

The collection also includes the $98 “Penny for Your Thoughts” leather notebook. As Ever markets the item as a “simple luxury for everyday use and enjoyment.”

A “Signature Two-Wick Holiday Candle,” priced at $98, is another standout launch from the seasonal range.

Described as a “limited-edition scent of the holiday,” the candle combines notes of pine, berry, cashmere and clove. As Ever recommends pairing it with Meghan’s $410 “Candle Lover’s” basket.

The website’s most expensive gift options include the $535 “Library Basket” hamper, which costs just under £400. It contains a signature leather-bound notebook, coasters, a card set, a candle and a matchbox.

For chocolate lovers, As Ever is offering a $75 “Trophy Chocolate Bar Gift Set” containing five of the brand’s “beloved” bars. The limited-edition chocolates were created with Los Angeles-based Compartés, the chocolatier behind Meghan’s costly advent calendar.

Also on offer is Meghan’s ‘curated’ popcorn medley, marketed at the high price of $65. The popcorns, listed as a ‘luxury taste of nostalgia’ on the As Ever page, come in milk chocolate, white chocolate and salted popcorn flavours – and are topped with Meghan’s signature ‘flower sprinkles.’

The Duchess’ Christmas range hasn’t been without its controversy, after a British priest faced backlash online from ‘Sussex Squad’ supporters when publicising a £6 charity advent calendar in contrast to the one promoted by Prince Harry’s wife.

Meghan unveiled the £112 ($148) gourmet chocolate calendar in an online advert earlier this month while wearing a reported £75,000 worth of clothing and jewellery. 

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Anglican priest and London university chaplain the Reverend Daniel French suggested that people could instead buy the charity advent calendar that is almost 20 times cheaper and contains Fairtrade chocolate.

The alternative he recommended also raises money for a leprosy charity and comes with a ‘little booklet on the meaning of Christmas’, he told his followers.

Sharing an image of Meghan alongside her As Ever product, Rev French wrote: ‘For £5.99 you can pre-order a Christian Advent Calendar with Fairtrade chocolate from the Meaningful Chocolate Company. A donation is made to The Leprosy Mission.’

The calendar also comes with a 24-page Christmas story and activity booklet celebrating the birth of Christ.

But Rev French’s post sparked a backlash from members of the Sussex Squad, who branded him ‘satan spawn’ and ‘evil’, while claiming he had an ‘ugly heart for a so-called Christian’.

His Protestant colleague Father Chris Phillips – whose parish is in Benhilton, south-west London – backed the priest on X, prompting a fresh wave of angry responses, to which he replied that he had ‘encountered the Sussex Squad on here’, adding: ‘Wow.’

His defenders have said he has been ‘terrorised’ by ‘deranged trolls’ ever since, forcing him to lockdown his account. Trolls claimed he was a ‘coward’ for doing so. 

After 24 hours of online abuse, including threats and defamatory suggestions about his character, he was forced to lock his account and blocked a number of pro-Meghan supporters.

Both priests have been asked to comment. 

Meghan unveiled As Ever’s first advent calendar in collaboration with LA-based gourmet chocolate company Compartes earlier this month.

The £112 box of chocolate treats is her first major product since she, Harry and their two children moved back to the UK. 

The calendar – ‘inspired by her Montecito home and garden’ – features a festive illustration of the £11million mansion she and Prince Harry called home for six years.

A press release declared that ‘every detail was considered with care, including countdown numbers hand-painted in Meghan’s own penmanship using edible gold lustre’.

The ‘limited-edition’ product includes 24 handcrafted chocolates and flavours include strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and orange marmalade, plus what is described as a ‘special chocolate finished with Meghan’s own flower sprinkles’.

Compartés’ dark chocolate ganache truffle also features in the calendar, with Meghan’s writing said to turn ‘each day’s reveal into a small, personal moment’.

The product is available to order in the US on As Ever’s website, with delivery from early November.

Meghan’s business described this as the ‘latest chapter in an ongoing collaboration between the two brands’, after the $12 (£9) As Ever x Compartés chocolate bars.

As Ever explained that the box’s design was ‘inspired by Meghan’s Montecito home and garden’, and she worked on it with Compartés creative director Jonathan Grahm.

The product is ‘made to be enjoyed through December and treasured long after’ and ‘brings together the artistry of Compartés and the warmth that defines As Ever’.

Compartés said it was also selling three other cheaper but ‘ultra-giftable advent calendars’ at $120 (£91) each, including ‘Enchanted Castle’, ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Winter Forest’.

Meghan has also entered the Christmas hamper market for the first time, launching a new ‘hostess basket’ with her As Ever brand alongside her advent calendar.

The Duchess’ $211 ‘Holiday Collection’ basket has a leather As Ever tag with gold lettering and comes pre-filled with peppermint and lemon-and-ginger tea caddies, a trio of spreads, flower sprinkles and Meghan’s scented candles. 

Other products in Meghan’s ‘Holiday Collection’ include ‘botanical confection’ chocolates developed by Los Angeles brand Compartes as part of an ‘ongoing collaboration’ and two decks of ‘parlour cards’.

Five people were wounded, two of them critically, and two suspected gunmen were killed in a shooting in the southern West Bank on Friday, officials said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it responded to a shooting near Judea Junction on Friday and killed two individuals it described as “terrorists.”

The IDF established a blockade as security forces continued searching the area, the military said.

The Times of Israel reported that all five people wounded in the shooting were Israelis.

First responders told the outlet that two victims were in critical condition, while three others sustained light-to-moderate injuries.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, said its teams treated two critically injured people at the scene.

Authorities had not immediately identified the suspected gunmen.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

Julia Roberts was among the first stars to pay tribute to Tom Skerritt, remembering the acclaimed actor after his death at 93.

Skerritt, whose celebrated credits included Alien and Top Gun, died of natural causes on Wednesday, October 21, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Roberts, 58, shared the screen with Skerritt in the 1989 classic Steel Magnolias, in which he portrayed her father.

She revisited a photo of the two actors and offered a heartfelt farewell, writing: “A shining light of a gentle man. RIP,” alongside a broken-heart emoji.

Kathy Baker, Skerritt’s co-star on the 1990s drama Picket Fences, also spoke of her grief, saying the news had left her heartbroken.

Baker played Dr. Jill Brock on the series, while Skerritt starred as her husband, Sheriff Jimmy Brock, throughout the show’s run from 1992 to 1996.

“My heart is broken to hear of the passing of dear, lovely, loving, Tom, my TV husband, my partner, my darling friend,” Baker said in a statement to People.

Reflecting on their time together, she added: “He taught me so much during our four years on Picket Fences.”

Baker said she could not have hoped for “a more gracious and kind actor” to work with, describing their acclaimed run on the series as something very special.

Lauren Holly, another Picket Fences cast member, joined the tributes by posting a photograph of herself alongside Skerritt from the show.

Holly wrote that she had “adored” Skerritt and felt fortunate to have worked with him on multiple projects, beginning with Picket Fences.

“He was our leader,” she wrote. “His example made those years such a joy, and we all loved and respected him so much.”

She also praised the care he showed for his family, both at home and on set, as well as for the planet and everyone living on it.

Holly said Skerritt had made “a huge impact” on her life, adding that many of her memories involved laughing uncontrollably with him. “Rest easy my friend. I will think of you often,” she concluded.

Justin Shenkarow also appeared in Picket Fences as Matthew Brock and paid tribute to his late co-star. 

Alongside a clip from the show, he wrote, ‘Rest easy Tom. You’ll be incredibly missed, thank you for gracing us with your presence and it was such a privilege working with you on Picket Fences.’

And over the video, he added the additional message: ‘You were loved by so many and I will miss you tremendously. 

‘I’m incredibly grateful that I had the privilege of working with you on Picket Fences. You’re a legend.’ 

Following his death, Skerritt’s family told The Hollywood Reporter, ‘We are heartbroken by his loss.

‘While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity and the love he brought into our lives,’ they continued.

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‘He cared deeply about imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world and helping others find and share their own voices.’

Skerritt, who has five children, married his third wife, Julie Tokashiki, in 1998. 

He appeared in many classic films throughout his six-decade career, but his most iconic role is arguably playing Dallas, captain of the Nostromo, in Ridley Scott’s masterpiece Alien.

The film became a landmark of science-fiction cinema and launched a franchise that continued with Aliens, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection and, more recently, the 2024 film Alien: Romulus.

While Skerritt never appeared in any of the sequels, he did reprise his role as Dallas in the 2014 video game Alien: Isolation, which has been lauded as one of the greatest video games ever made.

Skerritt also starred alongside Tom Cruise in the original Top Gun movie, taking on the role of Mike ‘Viper’ Metcalf.

Some of his other memorable projects include Steel Magnolias, Robert Redford’s A River Runs Through It, and 1977’s The Turning Point, which was nominated for 11 Academy Awards.

Another one of his most iconic early roles was playing Captain Augustus ‘Duke’ Forrest in Robert Altman’s 1970 film M*A*S*H.

Skerritt was also a prolific television actor, nabbing an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the family drama Picket Fences.

In 1987, he joined the sixth season of the hit sitcom Cheers, playing Evan Drake, one of the bosses at the Lillian Corporation.

He also appeared in Brothers & Sisters, The West Wing, Will & Grace, Roseanne, Cannon, and The Twilight Zone.

Skerritt even had a theatre career, appearing as the narrator in a 2004 production of Our Town at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre.

He made his Broadway debut in 2013 in a stage adaptation of John Grisham’s A Time to Kill.

His later screen work included the 2025 Western drama Broke, starring Wyatt Russell and Dennis Quaid.

In addition to his Emmy, Skerritt is a three-time SAG Award nominee and is both a Saturn Award and Western Heritage Award winner.

In 2022, he received the International Press Academy’s honorary Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to the Entertainment Industry.

He shared three children with his first wife Charlotte Shanks, whom he split from in 1972.

Skerritt went on to marry Sue Oran from 1977 to 1992, and they had one son together.

He also has a daughter with his third and final wife Julie Tokashiki.

Away from acting, Skerritt supported military veterans and helped establish the Red Badge Project, an organization that uses storytelling and creative writing to assist veterans.

Skerritt is survived by his wife, his five children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A 22-year-old Texas mother is facing manslaughter charges after authorities say she was driving at more than twice the posted speed limit when her vehicle crashed into a car carrying a recently graduated college couple. Her two young children were also in the vehicle.

Aldrea Rogers, 22, was arrested on two counts of manslaughter in connection with the deaths of Julian Harris and Madison Duren, according to Dallas County jail records reviewed by Fox News Digital.

Rogers was allegedly traveling 82 mph in a 35-mph zone when she struck the couple’s vehicle, FOX 4 Dallas reported, citing a recently released arrest affidavit.

Harris, 23, and Duren, 22, had recently graduated from Southern Methodist University. The pair shared a strong interest in theater and acting.

Harris died at the crash scene. Duren was transported to a hospital, where she later succumbed to her injuries.

Rogers’ two children were inside her Hyundai Elantra at the time of the collision. Authorities said Rogers and both children survived.

Investigators said Harris was driving a Toyota Prius with Duren in the passenger seat when he attempted to make a left turn onto a major roadway.

The Prius was then hit by Rogers’ Hyundai Elantra. Investigators said Rogers had been traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash.

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Rogers was booked into the Dallas County Jail on Oct. 16. Bond was set at $250,000 on each manslaughter count, jail records show.

Her combined bond remained listed at $500,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.

After graduating from SMU, Harris and Duren remained involved in Dallas’ theater community, where they were known for their shared passion for acting.

Their friends, Eli Barron and Emmet Overcarsh, told FOX 4 Dallas that the couple were curious and enthusiastic people who enjoyed learning and building connections with others.

Overcarsh said he was especially stunned by the circumstances of the crash, including the allegation that Rogers had her two young children in the vehicle. Rogers was the same age as both victims.

The couple had been leaving their apartment when the fatal collision occurred.

Friends said Harris and Duren’s deaths have been difficult to process, particularly given Rogers’ age and the presence of her two young children in the car.

Fox News Digital has contacted the Dallas Police Department and Dallas County court officials seeking a copy of the arrest affidavit and additional information about the crash investigation.

A memorial service for Harris and Duren is scheduled for Oct. 31 at Southern Methodist University.