Corey Parker Dead at 60 — ‘Will & Grace’ Star Dies After Cancer Battle
corey parker, the film and television actor who appeared on Will & Grace and in Friday the 13th Part V, died Thursday, March 3 (ET) in Memphis, Tennessee after a battle with cancer, Emily Parker, his aunt, said. corey parker was 60. corey parker worked from the mid-1980s into later years and provided acting coaching on television series including Sun Records and Ms. Marvel.
Corey Parker: Death, age and family notice
corey parker’s passing was confirmed by Emily Parker, who identified herself as his aunt and said the actor had been fighting cancer; the type of cancer was not specified. corey parker died in Memphis, Tennessee on Thursday, March 3 (ET), family members say. corey parker leaves behind family members who were active in the performing arts; his mother, Rocky, and sister Noelle were both actors, and Rocky had died in 2014. corey parker grew up in a creative household and later worked both in front of the camera and behind it as a coach.
Career highlights and on-screen work
corey parker began his film career in the mid-1980s and won the role of Pete in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning. corey parker followed that early work with a small role in the Kim Basinger drama 9 1/2 Weeks and later earned a starring part as Neil Barash in the sitcom Flying Blind, acting opposite Téa Leoni. corey parker also had a recurring role as Josh, one of Grace’s boyfriends, across five episodes of Will & Grace. corey parker’s other screen credits include Biloxi Blues, White Palace, Love Boat: The Next Wave, Nashville and Blue Skies, and he moved into coaching later in his career, advising on series work for Sun Records and Ms. Marvel.
In an interview published July 9, 2025 (ET) with Bram Kerwin, corey parker spoke about his single-minded focus on acting and a lifelong love of riding dirt bikes. corey parker said, “I only had one other interest. When we lived upstate in New York I had a dirt bike, a motorcycle, and I rode that thing everywhere. ” corey parker added, “I was 100% in on acting, ” and described acting as the one pursuit that truly held his attention for decades.
Immediate reactions and legacy
Emily Parker, his aunt, provided the family notice of corey parker’s death and framed his final years as a period of both work and mentorship. corey parker’s colleagues and former students are likely to recall his transition from screen actor to acting coach, a role the actor embraced while advising on contemporary series. corey parker’s film and television credits stretch from genre work in the 1980s to creative support roles in later productions.
Quick context: corey parker first broke through in the mid-1980s with a notable horror franchise role and later moved between television sitcoms and film work. corey parker also spent his later years teaching and coaching actors on modern television projects.
What’s next: The family has not yet published detailed memorial plans; Emily Parker and other family members may announce arrangements in the coming days, and further statements are expected about tributes to corey parker’s life and career. Journalists and industry colleagues will likely follow any announcements and remember corey parker for both his on-screen roles and his off-camera mentorship.
