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 death was announced by her ex-husband, Chester Gregory, on Instagram. He did not disclose the cause of death.
Chester Gregory wrote that she “lit up every room” and “carried both fire and grace”. He added: “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 described their bond as one “no storm could break”.
Tributes from fellow actors flooded social media. Walton Goggins, who co-starred 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, another co-star, said she was “a light and a force”. Yvette Nicole Brown and Leslie Odom Jr also paid tribute.
Born in Houston, Texas, in December 1972, Gregory studied at Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and earned an MFA from DePaul University. She began her career in the 1990s with the Chicago Theatre Company. She earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her role in the play By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.
Her film credits included Spike Lee's Red Hook Summer, Five Feet Apart and John Henry. On television, she appeared in shows such as The Chi, Better Call Saul, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Two and a Half Men, and voiced characters in animated series including Craig of the Creek.
Vice Principals ran on HBO for two seasons from 2016 to 2017. The comedy followed two vice principals locked in a power struggle to become school principal. Gregory played the formidable Dr Belinda Brown.
