{"id":2493695,"date":"2026-07-08T17:25:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2493695"},"modified":"2026-07-08T17:25:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T17:25:31","slug":"jennifer-greys-mom-dead-at-94-after-cancer-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/jennifer-greys-mom-dead-at-94-after-cancer-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Jennifer Grey’s Mom Dead at 94 After Cancer Diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Jennifer Grey<\/strong><\/a> announced that her mom, Jo Wilder<\/strong>, died at age 94 on Saturday, July 4.<\/p>\n

In an emotional Instagram tribute<\/a> shared Wednesday, July 8, Grey, 66, wrote that Wilder died \u201cby her own choosing, on her own terms, exactly as she lived,\u201d one week after receiving a lung cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrue to who she was, she chose grace over fear, understanding that leaving this world with dignity is an honor, not a tragedy,\u201d Grey continued. \u201cShe was gorgeous and talented \u2014 a promising young actress on the New York stage in her youth. She used to say she never fully answered that calling; she became a mother instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilder shared kids Jennifer and James Katz<\/strong> with ex-husband Joel Grey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf she\u2019d chosen ambition over my brother and me, we never would have had the mother we had,\u201d Jennifer\u2019s caption continued. \u201cHer passion found other outlets: she was a lifelong activist, fiercely attuned to right and wrong. And for years, many people discovered her extraordinary eye through Wilder Place, her store on Melrose.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Celebrity Deaths of 2026<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tHollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. The year started off with Broadway performer and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford\u2019s death at age 46. At the end of the month, comedy acting icon Catherine O\u2019Hara died at age 71. In February, Dawson\u2019s Creek actor James Van Der Beek died at age [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Dirty Dancing<\/em><\/a> star concluded, \u201cShe was brave and deep. I love you, Mom. Thank you for showing me how to do it all, even this, with grace.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilder was a singer and actress, known for her role as Polly in The Threepenny Opera<\/em> national tour, which took place in 1960. Wilder also snagged stage roles in Peter Pan<\/em> and Gypsy<\/em> during her time as a regional theater actress.<\/p>\n

Several stars took to the comments section of Jennifer\u2019s post to share their condolences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been thinking of you so much. I am lucky to have known your beautiful mother through the years of our friendship,\u201d Maggie Wheeler<\/strong>, known for her role as Janice on Friends<\/em><\/a>, wrote. \u201cShe was fierce and kind and curious.. and .. she was deeply blessed with a daughter who showed her the most unwavering love [and] unwavering support.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Jennifer Grey\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Julianne Moore<\/strong> and Josh Gad<\/strong> were among other notable names who shared their love. Rachel Zegler<\/strong> also commented with a red heart emoji.<\/p>\n

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