Yahoo News ‘Brian’s Song’ Actor Billy Dee Williams, ‘Misery’ Director Rob Reiner Remember James Caan As Hollywood Pays Tribute To An Icon
Refresh for updates… Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of its greatest: James Caan is being remembered today as one of the best actors of his generation.
“Team Mates and friends till the end,” tweeted Billy Dee Williams, who co-starred with Caan in the 1971 TV-movie classic Brian’s Song. “RIP Jimmy.” Williams included what appears to be a recent photo of the two.
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Josh Duhamel, who co-starred with Caan in the NBC 2003-2008 drama series Las Vegas, posted an Instagram Story video in which he said, “I just want to take a minute to remember Jimmy Caan: one of the kindest, coolest, funniest people I’ve ever met, one of my mentors. And you’ll be missed, Jimmy Caan. I love you.”
Michael Mann, who directed Caan in the 1981 film Thief, wrote on Instagram, “I loved him and I loved working with him. He reached into the core of his being during difficult personal times to be the rebellious, half wild child, institutionalized outsider Frank, in my first film, Thief. Frank is half Frank, half Jimmy. The character and the man – like his Sonny in The Godfather – were made for each other. Unique. What a loss.”
See Mann’s entire message, and others, below.
Barbra Streisand, who co-starred with Caan in 1975’s Funny Lady, wrote, “I’m so sorry to hear about Jimmy. He was so talented.”
In a statement, Misery director Rob Reiner said, “I was so saddened to hear about Jimmy leaving us. I loved working with him. Besides being a talented instinctive actor, he was the only Jew I knew who could rope a calf with the best of them. Sending my love to his family.”
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Director James Gunn tweeted his favorite Caan movies – The Godfather films “at the very top” – and actor Jon Lovitz recalled a particular kindness Caan once showed him when the star agreed to a cameo in a TV special (and brought along a special guest as well).
Deadline will update this post as responses arrive…
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.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) July 8, 2022
I’m so sorry to hear about Jimmy. He was so talented. #JamesCaan pic.twitter.com/5CB1NKTYa9
— Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) July 7, 2022
Team Mates and friends till the end. RIP Jimmy 💔#jamescaan pic.twitter.com/s7lfMzMlh3
— Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) July 7, 2022
James Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him. Never ever 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. pic.twitter.com/a0q8rCP1Yl
— Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) July 7, 2022
Legend… Rest in Power, Jimmy. Our condolences to Scotty and his family🙏 @James_Caan https://t.co/hMxewtpJLc pic.twitter.com/3rDAT30HTj
— Cary Elwes (@Cary_Elwes) July 7, 2022
The Caan family played a major role in saving my life 11 years ago.
I am so sorry for your loss and hope you can again soon find peace.— Ethan Embry (@EmbryEthan) July 7, 2022
Damn! @James_Caan passed away.. 💔 He was the star of my Favorite movie ever. And many more. Respect ✊🏽 RIP. https://t.co/RxX96emJuZ
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) July 7, 2022
James Caan always had the funniest stories. Once he told me Coppola had the habit of grabbing food off his plate & eating it, so one day he made a sandwich with very hot jalapeños between two pieces of buttered bread, & waited outside Coppola’s airstream…
— Jennifer Tilly (@JenniferTilly) July 7, 2022
RIP . Wonderful actor https://t.co/dUQruwDZgD
— John Cusack (@johncusack) July 7, 2022
I once passed James Caan in the commissary at Paramount Pictures. He looked me over in my Data makeup and uniform and uttered just one word, “Working?” Honored. RIP
— Brent Spiner (@BrentSpiner) July 7, 2022
We celebrate the life and career of @James_Caan and send condolences to his family. From Brian's Song to The Godfather to Misery and Elf, Jimmy's celluloid legacy lives on. #sagaftramember since 1960. https://t.co/2Yfk7JWeKG
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) July 7, 2022
James Caan swooping in during the flashback scene at the end of The Godfather Part II is one of the all-time great star reveals. You can practically hear the audience cheering. RIP to a real one. https://t.co/6sNDLyOwHX
— James Urbaniak (@JamesUrbaniak) July 7, 2022
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). 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/mhrtGMzB0S
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) July 7, 2022
Well, this just sucks about James Caan. I was lucky enough to work with him & be friends. Always a fun guy to be around. He was always supportive of my career. He even did a cameo in my tv special and got Robert Duvall to be in it. A highlight of my career. God bless James Caan.
— Jon Lovitz (@realjonlovitz) July 7, 2022
Hollywood saw James Caan as a tough guy. There was so much more underneath that tough exterior. He had tremendous empathy as was shown in his extraordinary performance as Sonny Corleone. I always felt he would die for love. RIP https://t.co/xa6p9WZcty
— Michael Des Barres (@MDesbarres) July 7, 2022
RIP James Caan, 82.
Brilliant actor – loved him as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, such a ferocious, menacing, magnificent performance. Met him once at a party in LA and he was a very funny & highly entertaining man. Sad news. pic.twitter.com/vi4oI36v4l— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) July 7, 2022
I remember getting the call to do this guest spot on a show called Vegas with James Caan.I was thrilled because he was one of my favorite actors.We had 3 or 4 scenes together.I loved getting in the ring with him. RIP #jamescaan #actor #respect pic.twitter.com/t4K5KFkPJV
— Saverio Guerra (@saverio825) July 7, 2022
Rest In Peace James Caan! What a life🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 https://t.co/1fBvVzxa5x
— Holly Robinson Peete 💃🏾♍️ (@hollyrpeete) July 7, 2022
Met James Caan at a premier party in Las Vegas. My wife’s sister starred in ‘Mercy’, a very good little film with Scott and him. He was super chill, a proper cool dude on top of being one of the Hollywood greats. #jamescaan pic.twitter.com/tlmyFmtVJ2
— Tommy Campbell (@MrTommyCampbell) July 7, 2022
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