<Li> Lois Whitley, Karen's mother, played by Suzanne Pleshette . A con artist who used Karen in her early schemes . They had been estranged for several years when they reconciled in season 4, with the help of Jack . </Li> <Li> Virginia "Ginny" Delaney, Karen's sister, played by Bernadette Peters . In 1963, as a child, she was injured in a brutal game of Twister played with Karen . </Li> <Li> Barry, Karen's cousin, is played by Dan Futterman . Originally a gay bookish homebody, Karen had Will and Jack bring him out of his shell to become an attractive person whom both Will and Jack fall for . </Li> <Li> Sylvia Walker, Karen's mother - in - law, is played by Ellen Albertini Dow . She is a woman that' strikes fear in her heart - facsimile' . A seemingly kind, but homophobic old woman, Sylvia appears in one episode to accompany Will and Jack to a club . In the beginning neither Will nor Jack wanted to babysit Sylvia, known as "Syl". She had been dumped on them by Karen, who then ditched her . Karen and Syl have a caustic relationship . </Li>

Who played karen's cousin barry on will and grace