Beloved Hallmark Star Dies at 84

Beloved actress Paula Shaw, whose career stretched from horror cult classics to feel-good Hallmark Channel movies, has passed away at the age of 84.

Her passing was announced on the official site for her transformative acting and personal growth program, The Max, which she led for decades.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce Paula passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.,” the message read. “Her legacy lives on in the communities she created and the lives she changed.”

Shaw was more than an actress — she was a mentor, a teacher, and a pioneer in the personal growth space. The Esalen Institute, where she taught for over 32 years, also paid tribute, calling her course “THE MAX” one of their most bold and memorable offerings. She was a former EST trainer and a protégé of Uta Hagen, and described herself as a “master teacher of acting” and a “leader of self-expression courses for non-actors.”

Following the news of her passing, Hallmark writer and producer Julie Sherman Wolfe shared a touching tribute on social media.

“So sad to hear about Paula Shaw’s passing,” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “We often chatted on Facetime after she filmed Hanukkah on Rye, mostly about our shared heritage (and trying to figure out if we were related!). We never found out, but it didn’t matter. She will always be one of my honorary bubbies.”

Fans of Hallmark will remember Shaw for her memorable role as Charlotte Jeffers, the elegant and wise mother of Andie MacDowell’s character in Cedar Cove. She also starred in Hanukkah on Rye, Hitched for the Holidays, Picture a Perfect Christmas, A Mrs. Miracle Christmas, and Round and Round — becoming a regular in the network’s seasonal lineup.

Paula Shaw’s acting journey began on stage, when she moved to Los Angeles for the West Coast debut of Gus Weill’s Geese. After a successful audition for Lee Strasberg, she was welcomed into The Actors Studio, setting the stage for decades of work in television and film.

She made early TV appearances on Starsky & Hutch, The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Barney Miller, and Ironside. She played Wulla Jean in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas alongside Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, and later had roles in Insomnia and the 2003 horror showdown Freddy vs. Jason, where she stepped into the chilling shoes of Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s mother — a role previously held by Betsy Palmer.

Shaw also brought her talents to a younger generation, playing Mrs. Byrne on the Canadian sitcom Mr. Young for three seasons, and appearing in series like 21 Jump Street, The X-Files, Supernatural, and Van Helsing.

Beyond the screen, Shaw changed lives through her work as a teacher and facilitator. Her bio on The Max’s website reveals her passion for human potential: “Many years ago Werner Erhard trained me in self-expression, and I have led many workshops, including THE MAX, since then. I am grateful for Werner’s training.”

She taught across the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., and the Netherlands, helping actors and non-actors alike unlock their emotional truth.

Plans for a memorial will be announced soon via The Max website.