In 2006 Maxwell was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died on February 11, 2018 from neoplastic meningitis complicated from breast cancer at her Manhattan apartment at the age of 61.
Jan Maxwell is the sister of avant-garde, OBIE Award Winning playwright Richard Maxwell.
Nominated for two 2010 Tony Awards (New York City): For Leading Actress in a Play for "The Royal Family" and for Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play for "Lend Me Tenor".
Ha one child, a son William "Will" Maxwell-Lunney, with her now widowed husband Robert Emmet Lunney.
Nominated for the 2005 Tony Award (New York City) for Supporting or
Features Actress in a Musical for "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".