Posted in: FX, TV | Tagged: always sunny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Actor Shelly Desai Dies at Age 90

FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Shelly Desai, aka Charlie and Frank's landlord-nemesis, Hwang, has passed away at 90.

As work continues on the 18th season of FXX's Rob Mac, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito-starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, we have some unfortunate news to pass along. Actor Shelly Desai, who held a beloved recurring role on the long-running comedy series, has passed away at 90. The news of his death was announced by his family, though a cause of death was not disclosed at the time of this writing. Desai is survived by his wife, Phyllis, stepdaughters, April and Dawn, and grandchildren, Sean, Sofia, and Dylan. Desai first appeared as Hwang, Charlie (Day) and Frank's (DeVito) landlord/nemesis, in 2005's S01E05: "Gun Fever," and would go on to appear in two additional episodes. Personally, our favorite scene between Hwang and Frank is the dueling-choking moment in S11E06: "Being Frank."

Desai's acting resume spanned theater, film, and television, with the actor appearing in what can best be described as a cross-section of the best that television has had to offer. We're talking St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Sledge Hammer!, Moonlighting, thirtysomething, ER, Friends, NYPD Blue, Ugly Betty, Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Baskets, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Men of a Certain Age, and many others. On the film side, Desai appeared in Thelma & Louise, Toys, Clifford, Midnight Clear, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, and more.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18: Past Updates

In July 2025, DeVito offered a huge production update on the 18th season, sharing with Collider that, "We start at the end of January." The actor continued, "We're going to go again next season. We just talked about when we're going to start. And it's something that you look forward to because it really is so much fun. I love these guys and Kaitlin [Olson] and Mary Elizabeth [Ellis] and Artemis [Pebdani], and everybody that's on the show. And Lynne [Marie Stewart], we miss." DeVito was referring to the late Lynne Marie Stewart, who portrayed Charlie's mother, Bonnie Kelly, and passed away earlier that year.

Via Charitybuzz in September 2025, Olson offered fans a chance to bid on a visit to the "Always Sunny" set and a meet-and-greet with Olson (with all proceeds benefitting Emily's Entourage). The description of the visit noted: "This unforgettable experience is currently scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on the Fox lot during the last two weeks of February (exact date may change based on the filming schedule, but we will do our best to accommodate date requests)." Under the section "Dates," it noted "Experience will occur within the following date range(s): Feb 12, 2026 to Feb 28, 2026" (while adding, "Experience blackout dates: Dates are subject to change due to flexibility in the filming schedule").

Checking in last month with Chelsea Handler during Handler's podcast, Dear Chelsea…, Olson discussed the long-running series and knowing when it's time to step away and close the doors to Paddy's. "It's getting weird. Like… a few years ago, it was exciting. We're like, 'Oh, we're breaking records.' And now it's like, 'Well, now we're just old and weird," Olson shared near the opening of the show, after Handler noted that being on a show for 17 seasons was "crazy" and "like two lifetimes of television." As she has said repeatedly over the year, Olson reaffirmed what the show has meant to her on both a personal and professional level. "I have zero mixed feelings about it ["Always Sunny"]. I met my husband. I've got two kids. It's the best thing that ever happened to me," Olson added. "But also, you don't want to overstay your welcome. You know what I mean? So, at what point am I like, 'I should probably Irish exit. Should I just leave the show and not tell anyone?'"

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