Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and Oscar-nominated actor Sam Shepard died on Thursday at his home in Kentucky from complications from ALS. He was 73.
Shepard rose to fame when he won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play “Buried Child.” He was also up for an Academy Award in the supporting actor category for his portrayal of Chuck Yeager in the 1983 film “The Right Stuff.”
His friends and collogues from Hollywood and Broadway took to social media to share their admiration for the acclaimed playwright-actor-screenwriter-director and express their grief.
“Sam Shepard. Whenever he came on-screen, you knew you were in good hands. A frame from ‘Days of Heaven.’ May he rest in love,” Ava DuVernay tweeted.
“Literally bumped into Sam Shepard many years ago, both of us on our way to see Pillow Man on Broadway. We had a great chat/walk. #hero RIP,” Don Cheadle wrote.
“A great man of the theater has passed. Thank you, Sam Shepard. RIP,” Jason Alexander wrote.
“Jeanne Moreau, Sam Shepard thank you for enlighten us at 24 frames per second. RIP,” Antonio Banderas said.
“Everyone who ever met him or worked with him even for a minute is going to share their Sam Shepard story and it’s going to be fantastic,” James Morrison wrote.
“Sam Shepard is one of the greats. These eyes saw so much, and he wrote of what he saw with fearless, timeless honesty. RIP maestro,” Beau Willimon wrote.
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“Sam Shepard was a towering figure in American theater and film. He indeed had ‘the right stuff.’ His voice will truly be missed,” George Takei said.
“First became a Sam Shepard fan as a playwright when I was in Buried Child @BU_SOT Tremendously talented actor as well. Gone too soon. RIP,” Michael Chiklis said.
“R.I.P. Sam Shepard – cowboy poet dramatist of the American family shadow. A legend,” Rainn Wilson said.
See other reflections below:
