Kimberly Hébert Gregory, best known for her role as Dr Belinda Brown in HBO's comedy series Vice Principals, has died at the age of 52. Her ex-husband, Chester Gregory, announced the news on Instagram, describing her as someone who “lit up every room” and “carried both fire and grace”. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
In his tribute, Chester Gregory wrote: “You taught us lessons in courage, in artistry, in resilience, and in how to keep showing up, even when life demanded more than its share.” He added that their bond was one “no storm could break” and that her story was “never defined by the battle, but by the beauty you carried through it”.
Tributes have poured in from colleagues and friends. Walton Goggins, who co-starred with Gregory in Vice Principals, called her “one of the best I’ve ever worked with” and said she made him laugh “like no other”. Busy Philipps, who also appeared in the series, said Gregory was “a light and a force”. Yvette Nicole Brown expressed her devastation, while Leslie Odom Jr remembered her as “a light”.
Born in Houston in December 1972, Gregory discovered her love for acting at a young age and attended Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She earned an MFA from DePaul University and began her career in the 1990s with the Chicago Theatre Company. She received a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in the play By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.
Her screen credits include Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer, Five Feet Apart, and John Henry. On television, she appeared in series such as The Chi, Better Call Saul, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Two and a Half Men, as well as voice roles in Craig of the Creek and Jessica’s Big Little World.
