UNITED STATES: James Caan, an American actor best known for playing Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s sweeping crime thriller, passed away at 82. James did not appear in any movies between 1982 and 1987 as a result of despair brought on by his sister’s death from leukaemia. Still, he later made a comeback with the film Misery (1990).
On Thursday, James Caan’s Twitter account revealed the news. The tweet read, “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
Hollywood celeb’s responses to the death of the Godfather star
James Caan is remembered today as one of the greatest actors of his time, and Hollywood is grieving the loss of one of its finest legends.
James garnered positive reviews from critics for his performance in Rob Reiner’s Misery, adapted from the same-titled novel by Stephen King. In the gripping thriller, James played Paul Sheldon, a well-known author taken captive by Annie Wilkes, a fanatical follower played by Kathy Bates. The characterization of Kathy and James in the movie earned tons of praise, making it the first Stephen King adaption to win an Oscar.
Stephen King expressed his sorrow on the passing of a legendary figure in Hollywood. The King of Horror tweeted, “Very sorry to hear about the passing of James Caan, who gave an Oscar-worthy performance as Paul Sheldon in Rob Reiner’s exceptional film version of MISERY.”
Adam Sandler also tweeted, “James Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never stopped laughing when I was around that man. His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love.” Sandler starred with James in the action-comedy Bulletproof, released in 1996.
Billy Dee Williams, best known for playing Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars trilogy, also tweeted,“Team Mates and friends till the end. RIP Jimmy #jamescaan.” James and Billy have been close friends for many years. The two first collaborated on the 1971 film Brian’s Song.
Director and writer James Gunn paid homage to the Hollywood legend by tweeting a list of his favourite Caan movies. The tweet read, “Rest In Peace, James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films, of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief, in particular, was a Gunn family classic – I had the poster on my wall in high school).”
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