There’s no place like home. And for Leah Remini, the King of Queens was home sweet home for nearly three decades.
On the 25th anniversary of the hit sitcom debuting on CBS in 1998, the 53-year-old actress paid homage to the show that made her a household name as the strong-willed but (sometimes) sweet-ish Carrie Heffernan. She starred opposite Kevin James (Doug Heffernan). King of Queens aired for nine seasons on CBS from 1998 to 2007.
In her caption, Remini said that by the time she signed on to play Carrie, she had been to “hundreds of auditions, was cast in many pilots and some short-lived series, and was finally offered The King of Queens.”
“As soon as production started on season one, I knew I was home, and I am blessed to say I was part of a truly special show that went on for nine seasons and 207 episodes and still lives on successfully in syndication,” she continued in her caption.”
Remini also paid tribute to her TV husband, James, and her TV dad, the late Jerry Stiller, calling them and the rest of the cast “amazing.” She shared a message to the fans.
“I want to let you all know that I see the comments where you say that you fall asleep every night to The King of Queens, that it got you through a rough day and tough times in your lives, that you laughed for the first time in your day watching us, or that you watch several episodes a day, or that you and your family bond over watching the episodes in syndication,” she wrote in her caption. “One fan commented that her family is a three-generation King of Queens household: her mom watches it, she watches it, and now her daughter watches it. It means the world to me, and I’m so grateful for this experience that lives on and on.”
Similarly, James shared a poster for the show and said he is “incredibly blessed to have taken this ride with the insanely talented @learemini and Jerry Stiller.”
In 2017 — a decade after wrapping King of Queens — Remini and James reunited on the season finale of his CBS sitcom, Kevin Can Wait. And once again they played a couple.
As for Stiller, who died in 2020 at age 92 from natural causes, he portrayed Remini’s TV dad, Arthur Spooner. Following his death, Remini and James paid tribute to the comedic legend.
“I am only comforted knowing that Anne & Jerry, the great comedy duo of Stiller & Meara are back together,” she wrote on Instagram, referencing his wife, Anne Meara, who died in 2015. “I will be forever grateful for the memories, the fatherly talks off screen and for the many years of laughter, the kindness he had shown to me and my family…You will be so very missed Jerry. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Amy & Ben.”
James wrote on his Instagram post, “One of the most kind, loving, and funny people to ever grace this earth. Thank you for so many incredible memories. I love you and miss you. Requiescat in pace.”
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