Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.

Jennifer Love Hewitt's mother, Patricia, died Tuesday from complications due to cancer. She was 67.

"She was an angel to all who knew her and they are grateful she is now in a better place," Hewitt's family said in a statement. "They ask for privacy at this difficult time."

Hewitt, 33, kept her mom's illness private. Her mom helped her get her start in Hollywood, moving with Hewitt from Texas to Los Angeles in 1989. According to People magazine, two years ago, Hewitt joked that her mother has accepted her roles even when they're not exactly family-friendly, like her current gig - playing a prostitute on "The Client List."

"She was like, 'So let's review … For 15 years people have been talking about your boobs," Hewitt said. "Earlier this year, you wrote about your hoo haw in a book. Now you're playing a crack ho on TV.' She was like, 'Do you think maybe you could do an animated movie next?' "