‘An absolute legend’: Fans and co-stars mourn Jessica Walter, actress and star of the Internet’s favorite GIFs

So it’s no surprise that the quote started flooding social media Thursday after Deadline broke the news that Walters died Wednesday at 80. Her daughter, Fox Entertainment executive Brooke Bowman, told the outlet: “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of my beloved mom Jessica. A working actor for over six decades, her greatest pleasure was bringing joy to others through her storytelling both on screen and off. While her legacy will live on through her body of work, she will also be remembered by many for her wit, class and overall joie de vivre.”

The banana line took on even more meaning over the years whenever it was revealed that an out-of-touch millionaire had no idea how much money the average family needs (and it really lit up the Internet when $600 stimulus checks were revealed). But in general, Walter became an Internet GIF and meme sensation for her wide variety of delightfully haughty expressions coupled with pitch-perfect quotes that could often capture how you were feeling on any given day.

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She had a long list of acclaimed roles over the years: Walter earned Golden Globe nominations for “Grand Prix” in 1966 and “Play Misty for Me” in 1971, and won an Emmy for her starring role in the NBC police drama miniseries “Amy Prentiss” in 1975. She appeared in dozens more television shows and movies and also was a fan favorite in FX’s animated “Archer,” for which she voiced the lead character’s mother, Malory Archer. But Lucille Bluth struck a chord.

“Jessica Walter never missed,” tweeted “Arrested Development” executive producer John Levenstein. “If she didn’t get a laugh there was a problem with the script.”

More of Walter’s “Arrested Development” co-stars and producers also weighed in Thursday. David Cross called her “an absolutely brilliant actress and amazing talent,” and added that he considered himself “privileged and very lucky to have been able to work with her. Lucille Bluth is one of TV’s greatest characters.”

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Creator Mitch Hurwitz sent a statement to Variety, which read in part, “Jessica was one of the sharpest, funniest people I’ve ever worked with — and I’ve been incredibly fortunate in working with some true greats. She was, to me, the best kind of comic actor — one who’s fearless in her willingness to draw upon the, shall we say, less desirable aspects of our character that, well … make us funny.”

Walter’s fellow stars on “Archer” weighed in as well. Creator Adam Reed said: “The ‘Archer’ family is heartbroken to lose Jessica Walter, our beloved colleague and friend. Jessica was a consummate professional, an actor’s actor, and the exact opposite of Malory Archer — warm, caring, and kind, with an absolutely cracking sense of humor — and it was both a privilege and a true honor to work with her over these many years. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”