Bunny Levine, a beloved actress who appeared on shows including Gilmore Girls and Shameless as well as some Adam Sandler films, has died at the age of 97.
Her manager told The Hollywood Reporter that Levine died peacefully in her sleep, with NBC Los Angeles further reporting that she died Thursday, Aug. 20, at her home in Tarzana, California. Police responded to her home that morning after receiving a report of an unresponsive person.
Levine’s path to Hollywood was certainly different. She had an interest in acting from a young age, but after graduating high school, she began working as a school librarian for 25 years. After retiring, she took acting classes and auditioned for roles. Then, when her husband, Bernard Levine, died in 2003, she made the decision to move to Los Angeles.
Her resume includes appearances in shows such as Law & Order, Everybody Loves Raymond, Gilmore Girls, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, 2 Broke Girls, Raising Hope, Southland, New Girl, Getting On, The Mindy Project, Fuller House, Shameless , and Dave. She was also in movies including Slime City, The Jimmy Show, A Thousand Words, and La La Land.
Levine worked with Adam Sandler on three of the comedian’s hit movies, such as You Don’t Mess With the Zohan in 2008, Sandy Wexler in 2017, and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah in 2023.
Following news of her passing, many paid tribute to the actress.
“RIP Bunny Levine, one of the oldest actors working regularly in Hollywood. Often a dirty grandma, she had a great delivery — and she got her start in her 60s. I remember seeing her in the semi-recent ‘Thelma,'” one person posted.
“Bunny was a lovely powerhouse of a woman and a terrific actress. An example for all of us in our industry. Rest in peace bunny may your memory be a blessing,” another person commented.
