How is Jerry Adler related to Stella Adler? Sopranos star's family connection to famed acting teacher explained as he passes away

Jerry Adler, long-time actor and notable performer as Herman "Hesh" Rabkin from HBO's The Sopranos, has died at the age of 96.  Adler's death closes out a long, illustrious career, with appearances on stage, film, and television.

Given his connection to theater, people are now wondering the link between Jerry Adler and Stella Adler. Jerry Adler's connections to the theatrical world came about thanks to his family.

Jerry was a cousin to the great Stella Adler, considered the most significant acting teacher in American theater and film.

🎭 “Life beats down & crushes the soul, & art reminds you that you have one.” – Stella Adler

Here’s to the artists, the storytellers, & everyone finding their voice through the magic of theatre.

Keep creating. Keep dreaming. Keep becoming. 💫

📞 (323) 465-4446 pic.twitter.com/NGWYGwHYSN

— Stella Adler Academy (@StellaAdler) July 28, 2025

Stella Adler (1901–1992), the youngest daughter of the famous Yiddish theater actors Jacob and Sara Adler, was an acclaimed performer before she later devoted her life to teaching.

According to Stella Adler’s official website, after studying with Konstantin Stanislavski in Paris, Stella developed her own acting method which stressed imagination and emotional truth. She has trained many of the major stars of Hollywood, including Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Warren Beatty, and Harvey Keitel.

The Adler family theatrical history goes back to Stella's father, Jacob Adler, a founder of the modern Yiddish Theater in New York. Jerry Adler, while from a different branch of the family, also comes from a theatrical background. 

His father, Philip Adler, was the general manager of the Group Theatre, which was founded by Stella's husband Harold Clurman.

A look into Jerry Adler’s early life and career

Jerry Adler was born in Brooklyn in 1929 but did not start out as an actor. Instead, he spent decades working behind the scenes in Broadway. In 1950, Adler was an assistant stage manager on the Broadway productions of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes starring Carol Channing.

According to The Independent, he was a stage manager on the original 1956 production of My Fair Lady at New Haven's Shubert Theatre, then began directing and producing.

Jerry Adler, ‘Sopranos’ star and New York native, dead at 96 https://t.co/yO7F2PxaWZ pic.twitter.com/8IunMxDNIL

— New York Post (@nypost) August 24, 2025

Adler did not act until he was in his sixties, but this late start ushered into a distinguished run on television and film.

His credits include Northern Exposure, Rescue Me, Transparent, and The Good Wife. Still, it was as Tony Soprano's good friend and confidant "Hesh" Rabkin that Adler gained world wide fame.

Speaking about his work behind the camera in a 2017 interview he said (via Showriz):

"You know what’s interesting? You spend your whole career backstage. Nobody knows who you are or even knows your name. They don’t know anything about you...And then you do a television show and suddenly you’re a celebrity and everyone knows your face. It’s so weird."

Jerry Adler leaves behind his wife of more than 30 years, psychologist Joan Laxman. His death signifies not only the end of a unique life in show business, but also the end of another generation of the Adler family's legacy.