Acteur Bill Paxton is op 61-jarige leeftijd overleden aan complicaties na een hartoperatie. Paxton werkte regelmatig samen met regisseur James Cameron en was vooral bekend van zijn bijrollen in blockbusters als The Terminator, Aliens, Apollo 13 en Titanic.

Daarnaast acteerde Paxton ook in televisieseries als Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. en Big Love, waarvoor hij drie keer genomineerd werd voor de Golden Globe voor Beste Acteur. Op dit moment is hij nog te zien in de serie Training Day.

Maar Paxton was naast acteur ook regisseur en regisseerde twee films: het golfdrama The Greatest Game Ever Played en Frailty, waarin hij samen met Matthew McConaughey te zien was.

Paxton zal later dit voorjaar voor de laatste keer op het witte doek te zien zijn in The Circle, waarin hij de vader van Emma Watsons personage speelt.

Op Twitter reageerden enkele van zijn collega’s op de dood van de acteur:

Bill Paxton was, simply, a wonderful man. A wonderful man… Hanx.

— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) February 26, 2017

Bill Paxton could play any role, but he was best at being Bill – a great human being with a huge heart. My thoughts are with his family.

— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) February 26, 2017

Bill Paxton was simply one of the greatest people ever. To know him was to love him. I loved him. Huge love to Louise, Lydia and James. Xo

— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) February 26, 2017

https://twitter.com/jamieleecurtis/status/835887639408467968

https://twitter.com/aaronpaul_8/status/835887051220238336

You were a great friend to me, Bill. AND one of the finest actors to share a set with. Sending so much love to Bill Paxton's family.

— Charlize Theron (@CharlizeAfrica) February 26, 2017

https://twitter.com/HelenHunt/status/835914377790304256

Some of my favorite memories are of floating around in a tiny vessel with big hearted,hilarious,brilliant Bill Paxton. Sad day.

— Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon) February 26, 2017

I am so saddened by Bill Paxton's passing. Had the pleasure of meeting him a few times in recent years and he was truly the loveliest guy.

— edgarwright (@edgarwright) February 26, 2017

Broken hearted our dearest Bill Paxton has passed – the 1st leading man I had the honor to write for. His trust and joy inspired me to grow.

— Dustin Lance Black (@DLanceBlack) February 26, 2017

Regisseur James Cameron liet dan weer in een verklaring weten dat hij erg was aangedaan: “Ik probeer het nieuws al een half uur te begrijpen. Bill laat zo’n grote leegte achter. We waren 36 jaar goede lang goede vrienden, sinds we elkaar leerden kennen op de set van een low budgetfilm van Roger Corman. […] Ik hoop dat iedereen tijdens de Oscar-wervelwind vanavond even een moment kan nemen om deze geweldige man te herdenken. Hij bracht ons niet alleen urenlang plezier met zijn vertolkingen op het scherm, maar was ook een fantastisch mens.”

Lees hieronder Camerons volledige bericht:

“I’ve been reeling from this for the past half hour, trying to wrap my mind and heart around it. Bill leaves such a void. He and I were close friends for 36 years, since we met on the set of a Roger Corman ultra-low budget movie. He came in to work on set, and I slapped a paint brush in his hand and pointed to a wall, saying ‘Paint that!’ We quickly recognized the creative spark in each other and became fast friends.

What followed was 36 years of making films together, helping develop each others projects, going on scuba diving trips together, watching each others kids growing up, even diving the Titanic wreck together in Russian subs. It was a friendship of laughter, adventure, love of cinema, and mutual respect. Bill wrote beautiful heartfelt and thoughtful letters, an anachronism in this age of digital shorthand. He took good care of his relationships with people, always caring and present for others. He was a good man, a great actor, and a creative dynamo.

I hope that amid the gaudy din of Oscar night, people will take a moment to remember this wonderful man, not just for all the hours of joy he brought to us with his vivid screen presence, but for the great human that he was.

The world is a lesser place for his passing, and I will profoundly miss him.”

Bron: The Playlist