Who did Ed Asner play in Dead to Me? (Dedication explained)

The final season of Dead to Me has arrived on Netflix, and it’s the official sendoff for Jen (Christina Applegate) and Judy (Linda Cardellini). Dead to Me season 3 brings back all of our favorite characters from the series, except for the one played by the legendary Ed Asner.

From the very beginning, Dead to Me was full of famous, familiar faces. After all, Applegate and Cardellini both have played iconic, fan-favorite roles. While they are legends in their own right, they were joined by a true blue Hollywood heavyweight.

Asner has starred in hit movies like Up and Elf, and he became widely known on television in the 1970s and 1980s for his roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant, and Roots. There are still a number of TV shows and movies to be released with posthumous performances from the actor.

In Dead to Me season 3, the premiere episode ends with a dedication to Ed Asner. Because the series hasn’t premiered a new season since May 2020, viewers who haven’t rewatched the first two seasons might be a little fuzzy on who the Emmy winner played in the series.

Who did Ed Asner play in Dead to Me?

Ed Asner appeared in the first season of Dead to Me as Abe Rifkin, who was Judy’s friend and a resident at the retirement home where she works and volunteers. Unfortunately, the character passes away toward the end season 1 and doesn’t appear in seasons 2 or 3.

Sadly, Asner passed away of natural causes in August 2021, which was after season 2 had premiered on Netflix. Since season 3 was the first season filmed and released after the legendary actor’s passing, the season begins with a dedication in his memory.

It’s wonderful that in the final season of the Emmy-nominated series, the cast and crew are honoring Asner’s legacy and the impact the adored actor left on the series. Abe may not have been a main character, but he was an important character nonetheless.

Watch all three seasons of Dead to Me now on Netflix!