Dolores “Dee” Freeman, a veteran character actress whose career spanned decades across television, has died. She was 66.
Freeman passed away on April 2, 2026, following what her family described as “a brave and fearless fight” with stage 4 lung cancer. The news was shared in a statement posted to her Instagram.
“On behalf of her family, it is with deepest sadness that we share this update with you,” the statement read. “Dee passed away peacefully… Thank you to everyone who supported Dee during her battle. It blew her away to know how many people cared about her.”
Her publicist, Desirae L. Benson, remembered Freeman as a woman of “grace, strength, and authenticity,” adding that she “had a quiet power that commanded respect without ever needing to demand it.”
Born on June 6, 1959, in Louisiana, Freeman’s path to Hollywood was anything but traditional. She served six years in the United States Marine Corps before relocating to Japan, where she worked as a radio DJ. After returning to the U.S., she transitioned into acting, making her onscreen debut in a 1995 episode of Coach.
From there, she built an extensive résumé with appearances across television, including roles in Seinfeld, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The X-Files, ER, Dexter, Shameless, and more.
She also starred in the satirical parody series Pretty the Series from 2010 to 2015.
In recent years, Freeman appeared in seasons nine and ten of Sistas, portraying Valerie Barnes, the mother of Andi Barnes. Offscreen, she was developing a novel adaptation of her one-woman show Poison Gun, inspired by her family’s history.
Freeman is survived by her children, Amber and Shane, along with her extended family.
Originally read on Deadline.