Hallmark star Paula Shaw dead at 84: Tributes pour in for the beloved actress who ‘touched countless lives’

Paula Shaw, a fan favorite in Hallmark movies for her loving grandma roles, has died, has died at age 84.

Her passing was confirmed on the website for her long-running workshop, The Max.

‘It is with heavy hearts that we announce Paula passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025 morning at 9:00 am,’ the statement read. ‘Paula touched countless lives through The MAX, the Mastery, and her transformational work. Her legacy lives on in the communities she created and the lives she changed.’

Shaw’s Hollywood journey began when she relocated to Los Angeles to appear in the West Coast premiere of Gus Weill’s play Geese. 

She soon caught the attention of Lee Strasberg, who invited her to join The Actors Studio.

By the 1970s, she had become a member of the improv troupe Synergy Trust and started booking steady television work. 

Her guest appearances included The Bob Newhart Show, Starsky & Hutch, Barney Miller, Three’s Company, Lou Grant, and Ironside.

In 1982, Shaw landed a supporting role as Wulla Jean in the musical comedy The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, opposite Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. 

Later screen credits included playing a coroner in Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia (2002) and Pamela Voorhees — the mother of Jason — in Freddy vs. Jason (2003), stepping into the role originally played by Betsy Palmer.

On television, Shaw starred as Mrs. Byrne on the Canadian sitcom Mr. Young from 2011 to 2013.

In her later career, Shaw found an enduring home at Hallmark. 

She first appeared in the 2012 TV movie Hitched for the Holidays before joining the cast of the drama series Cedar Cove the following year as the mother of Andie MacDowell’s character.

She became especially cherished by Hallmark viewers for her warm, spunky grandmother roles, appearing in films such as Coming Home for Christmas (2017), Wedding of a Lifetime (2022), and her final project, Round and Round (2023).

One of her most memorable performances came in It Was Always You (2021), where she played Grandma Vivian.

Her heartfelt advice to Erin Krakow’s character — that she would know true love once she felt a ‘zing’ — became a fan-favorite moment for the Hallmark audience. 

Outside of film and television, Shaw built a parallel legacy through her work as a teacher and mentor. 

She created The Max, a self-expression course she taught for more than three decades at California’s Esalen Institute.

‘PAULA SHAW taught THE MAX workshops at Esalen Institute for over 32 years,’ the organization wrote on Instagram. ‘A professional actor and former EST trainer, she developed this self-expression course, which became a rite of passage for Esalen staff and seminarians, and until today maintains a reputation as one of Esalen’s most edgy offerings.’

Following news of her passing, Hallmark screenwriter Julie Sherman Wolfe remembered Shaw as both a colleague and a confidante.

‘So sad to hear about Paula Shaw’s passing. 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!),’ Wolfe shared on Instagram Stories.

‘We never found out, but it didn’t matter,’ she added. ‘She will always be one of my honorary bubbies.’