Helen Siff, who played parts in “Will & Grace,” “Karate Kid” and “Hail, Caesar!” has died at the age of 88.

Siff’s daughter said her mother died on Dec. 18 after complications following surgery for an illness, Variety reported.

The actress was born in Woodmere, New York, in 1937 and got her first role in a car commercial in 1976, alongside her twin sister, Variety reported.

That was just the first step in a multidecade career where she shared the screen with stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, James Caan, George Clooney and worked with directors like Steven Spielberg and Barry Levinson.

On the big screen, she appeared in 1984’s “The Karate Kid,” “Earth Girls Are Easy,” “Rocky” and “Hail, Caesar.”

On the small screen, Siff had roles in “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Good Trouble” and “Modern Family.”

Variety reported she originated the role of Helga off-Broadway in “Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral,” and appeared on stage in “Lost in Yonkers” among other shows.

“She had the rare gift of making even the smallest part memorable,” her family said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Siff leaves behind two sisters, five children and seven grandchildren.

© 2025 Cox Media Group