‘New Girl’ Actor Ralph Ahn Dies at 95, ‘SVU’ Star Ned Eisenberg Dies at 65
Veteran actor Ralph Ahn, best known for his role as Tran on the Fox sitcom New Girl, has died. He was 95.
Ahn played the mostly silent Tran in the hit comedy, first appearing in the show’s second season when he’s befriended by Jake Johnson‘s Nick Miller. Tran eventually becomes somewhat of a guide and mentor to Miller, who refers to him as his “magical best friend.”
Johnson shared his tribute to Ahn after the death was confirmed by the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles on Monday. “RIP. So much fun to work with,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “He gave so much with literally no lines. I loved when he was on set. I was always expecting to somehow work with him again. Condolences to his family/friends.”
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Fellow New Girl stars Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris also reacted to the news. Deschanel shared a crying emoji face, writing, “Noooooo” under Johnson’s post. Meanwhile, Morris posted a photo from the show, adding, “RIP to Ralph Ahn. He played Tran on New Girl. Always the funniest scenes in the episode. This man lived a lot of life, keep his friends and family in yall thoughts and prayers.”
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Ahn was born in Los Angeles in 1926 and had been acting since the early 1950s. His other credits included Gilmore Girls, The Shield, ER, Suddenly Susan, and The Good Life.
In related news, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Ned Eisenberg has also passed away. He was 65.
Eisenberg’s death was confirmed by his wife Patricia, who said in a statement (via Variety), “As Ned would say, he was attacked by two very rare assassins — cholangiocarcinoma and ocular melanoma. Over the course of two years, he bravely fought the cancers in private while continuing to work in show business to ensure that his medical coverage paid for himself and his family.”
Born in New York City in 1957, Eisenberg started his showbiz career in the 1980s, appearing in shows such as Miami Vice and The Equalizer. He played James Granick in Law & Order from 1997 to 2009. In recent years, he’s appeared in recurring roles in HBO’s Mare of Easttown and Apple TV+’s rom-com series Little Voice.
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