Janet Jackson pays tribute to 'Good Times' mom Ja'Net DuBois with touching dedication

Janet Jackson is mourning the loss of her TV mom Ja’Net DuBois, who died on Monday. The singer shared a touching tribute to the star on social media, including photos of the pair over the years.

“I am so very saddened to hear my longtime friend Ja’Net DuBois has passed away,” she wrote on Instagram. “I saw first hand how she broke stereotypes and changed the landscape for Black women in entertainment. I’m grateful in recent years I had a chance to see her and create more lasting memories. I pray for comfort for all her family and friends. Thank you Ja’Net, I’ll miss you.”

The pair worked together on the 1970s sitcom Good Times, about an African American family living in a housing project in Chicago. DuBois famously portrayed the sassy and sexy neighbor Willona Woods during the show’s six seasons. Jackson joined the cast in season five in the role of Penny Gordon, a young girl who was being physically abused by her birth mother.

After Penny is abandoned, Woods takes on the role of her guardian before officially adopting her. Jackson revisited the role of Penny for a Saturday Night Live skit in 2013.

DuBois was found dead at her Glendale, Calif. home, with multiple reports saying she appeared to have died in her sleep overnight of natural causes.

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