The cast of Will & Grace have shared heartfelt tributes following the death of legendary television director James Burrows, who directed every episode of the beloved queer sitcom.
Burrows died on 19 June 2026 at the age of 85, with his family saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones. Across his extraordinary career, he directed more than 1,000 television episodes and won 11 Emmy Awards.
Among his many credits were all 246 episodes of Will & Grace, across both the sitcom’s original run and its 2010s revival.
Burrows said in 2023 that Will & Grace was “probably the funniest show I ever did”, praising the show for having so many “laughs per page”.
Following his death, Eric McCormack, who played Will Truman, wrote on Instagram that “we lost a giant, a mentor to me and a dear friend.”
“The 800 lb gorilla of television comedy for fifty years, he was beloved by everyone, and has left not a mark but a footprint,” McCormack wrote.
“An incredible legacy. Jimmy, thank you for everything you gave us. I love you. And I send so much love to Debbie and your whole beautiful family.”
Debra Messing also shared a carousel of photos with Burrows from the set of Will & Grace, describing the pain of his loss.
“I can’t express the pain of his loss, and I know that is true for everyone who was lucky enough to be loved by him,” she wrote.
“Jimmy changed my life 28 years ago and has been in my life ever since. He had a dry sense of humor but exploded in laughter when he orchestrated comic moments that landed. I wanted his laughs most of all.”
Messing continued: “He loved and trusted his actors (which is rare in TVcomedy).”
“He let us play and explore and fail terribly and would always see the gem in what was happening, and like a conductor, he taught us how to play the music.
“Every person he allowed in his sphere felt respected, admired, and important. We were, are, family, and always will be. Every cast member who had the rare privilege of being directed by him for nearly a decade, felt like one of his kids. And today, we lost our TV dad.”
Megan Mullally, who won two Emmy Awards for playing Karen Walker on Will & Grace, told Entertainment Weekly in a statement: “Jimmy was really the master of an entire genre of comedy, and his passing marks the end of an era.
“I learned so much about comedy from him. Thank you for your mastery, Jimmy, and for your belief in me.”
Sean Hayes, who also won an Emmy for playing Jack McFarland, reposted an Instagram tribute from his husband, Scott Icenogle, who worked as a composer on the sitcom.
“The world lost a cultural, television icon today – James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows,” Icenogle wrote alongside a photo of himself with Burrows and Hayes.
“Jimmy was a dear friend and I am incredibly grateful to have had many fun times with him both personally and professionally.
“Sean and I are sending his incredible wife, Debbie, and his loving family all our love and support during this difficult time.”
Burrows’ impact stretched far beyond Will & Grace. He was also co-creator of Cheers and directed episodes of Friends, Frasier, Taxi, The Big Bang Theory and many more of television’s most influential sitcoms.
For the Will & Grace cast, however, his legacy was deeply personal. As Messing put it, they had lost not only a director, but their “TV dad”.
