Jimmy Kimmel is mourning the death of Rodney Muñoz, who served as his costume designer for 30 years.
In a Friday Instagram post, the late night host shared a number of photos of the pair together through the years, including some Emmy awards. The comedian celebrated Muñoz as a “funny, surly, hard-working man whose tough exterior hid a huge and generous heart.”
“Our dear friend and Costume Designer for almost 30 years, Rodney Muñoz, has sadly passed away,” Kimmel wrote. “Rodney was one of the most talented people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. He was a funny, surly, hard-working man whose tough exterior hid a huge and generous heart. Rodney helped many of us through difficult times.”
Kimmel continued: “He was a devoted son, brother, and Uncle; a great baker, and a caring friend. No man saw me in my underpants more. We will miss Rodney as he joins his beloved parents in whatever comes next.”
Among the photos of Muñoz getting Kimmel set up in costume are ones of the host dressed as Snow White and another where he is in a Mr. Potato Head get-up. There are also ones of Muñoz hard at work making sure a costume fits right.
This is the second publicly shared death in the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” family in the last year. In November 2025, Kimmel also announced that Cleto Escobedo III – the bandleader for the show and one of the host’s oldest friends – had passed away.
“Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true,” he shared at the time. “Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
