Veteran actress Bunny Levine, who proved it is never too late to chase a dream, has died at the age of 97.
Levine, best known to many viewers for appearances in Gilmore Girls and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land, died peacefully in her sleep Thursday at her home in Tarzana, California.
Her death is believed to have been from natural causes.
But Levine’s Hollywood story was anything but ordinary.
Long before she began appearing on television and movie screens, Levine spent roughly 25 years working as a school librarian and teacher in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Then, when she was approaching 60, she made a dramatic career change and finally pursued the acting dream she had carried since childhood.
Levine began building her Hollywood career in the late 1980s and eventually landed roles on some of television’s most recognizable shows.
Her credits included Everybody Loves Raymond, Law & Order, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, Criminal Minds, New Girl and The Mindy Project.
She also appeared in several major comedy films, including You Don’t Mess With the Zohan, Sandy Wexler and You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.
Her work continued well into her 90s.
Levine attended the Los Angeles premiere of Thelma in June 2024, showing that even decades after entering the entertainment business, she remained part of Hollywood’s bustling movie scene.
In a March 2025 interview with the Daily Evergreen, Levine reflected on her unusual journey from the classroom to the screen.
“I feel very blessed to have been able to get back to what I had always wanted since early memory,” she said. “I wish that everyone could find that happiness.”
Levine’s remarkable second act turned what could have been retirement years into a nearly four-decade acting career — and made her an inspiring example of someone who refused to believe it was ever too late to start over.