Shelley Long was one of the breakout stars of the classic sitcom Cheers. The actress, 74, became a household name for her portrayal of Diane Chambers, one of the bar’s waitresses who was also incredibly intelligent. Shelley left the show about midway through the show’s run, and her character was written off. She did make a few guest appearances on the spin-off Frasier. Since then, she’s starred in many movies and made appearances in other popular sitcoms, like Modern Family.
During the 2023 Emmy Awards, most of the cast members from Cheers had a reunion to present the awards for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. While Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Pearlman, George Wendt, and John Ratzenberger were on stage, Shelley was noticeably absent. As she skipped out on the reunion, find out more about why Shelley left Cheers and what she’s been up to ever since.
When Did Shelley Leave ‘Cheers’?
While Shelley had some acting credits under her belt, she quickly became most known for her role in Cheers when the show premiered in 1982. Ultimately, she made her departure from the sitcom in 1987 after season 5. Shelley’s exit was considered controversial at the time, and many people were wondering why exactly she bailed on the popular series.
Since her departure, it’s been reported that Shelley wanted to pursue a movie career, which she did by starring in the hit comedy Outrageous Fortune, according to Screen Rant. There were also claims that she had conflicts behind-the-scenes with Ted and Kelsey. Shelley did admit that The Good Place star was a “delight to work with” in a 2007 interview with Where Are They Now? Australia.
What Have Shelley’s Co-Stars Said About Her?
Shortly after Diane was written off of Cheers, Ted did seem to admit that he and Shelley had some conflicts off-camera in a May 1987 interview with People. “Our relationship, Shelley’s and mine, has included not being happy with each other and being happy with each other,” he said.
Shelley also told the magazine that despite their differences, she thought that it worked out on Cheers. “Terrible teasing went on in the relationship and outside the relationship, but our energy went into our work and it paid off,’ she said.
In the years since the Boston-based sitcom ended, Ted has admitted that he was worried when Shelley split from the show. “I certainly was worried. ‘Oh, I just lost my dance partner, Shelley. So will this even work?’” he told Today.
With the 2023 reboot of Frasier, Kelsey admitted that he’d like it if Shelley returned for the show, after making a few cameos in the original series. “When I first got the role, the key to Frasier for me was that he loved [Diane] with his whole heart, that he loved with all of his being. And that actually defined who he is,” he said on The Kelly Clarkson Show, via Entertainment Weekly. “He’s been that way ever since. He just goes in wholeheartedly with everything — and that’s what makes him funny.”
What Has Shelley Been Doing Since Leaving ‘Cheers’?
After leaving Cheers, Shelley went on to appear in various movies over the years, including The Money Pit. She also reprised her role as Diane in four episodes of Fraiser. Over the years, she’s made one-off appearances on other sitcoms over the years, including 8 Simple Rules. She also had a recurring role on Modern Family, appearing in eight episodes of the show, per her IMDb.
She had slowed down her acting appearances after lending her voice to Milo Murphy’s Law and acting in the holiday flick The Christmas Trap in 2018. She hadn’t appeared in any projects until 2021’s The Cleaner. While she doesn’t seem to have any upcoming projects, she was spotted in a rare public sighting in October 2022.