Anne Schedeen, best known for her role as Kate Tanner on the beloved NBC sitcom ALF, has passed away at the age of 77.For millions of viewers, Schedeen was the heart of the Tanner family. As the patient, grounded, and endlessly understanding Kate Tanner, she helped bring warmth and authenticity to one of television’s most unusual households — a suburban family sharing their home with a wisecracking alien from Melmac.Her performance made the extraordinary feel relatable and gave ALF much of its enduring charm.

Anne’s family announced the heartbreaking news in a statement shared on Facebook.“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share Annie has passed peacefully,” the family wrote. “She leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of creative energy, whip smart humor, delight in her family, adoration for little dogs, burning hatred for Trump, passion for second-hand thrifting, and love for a good story. We are bereft without her. We loved her so so much, as did all who met her.”