Tony Shalhoub Dedicated His SAG Award Win to Alan Arkin 4 Years Before His Death

"He's the reason I wanted to be an actor in the first place," 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' star said of Arkin — who recently died at age 89 — during his 2019 SAG Awards acceptance speech

Tony Shalhoub paid tribute to Alan Arkin four years before his death.

After winning the the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series for his role in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Shalhoub, 69, thanked Arkin, who was nominated in the same category for his work in Netflix’s The Kominsky Method.

“The greatest honor of my life is to be nominated in the same category as Alan Arkin, who has long been an idol of my mine,” he said at the time.

“I’m happy to say he’s a friend. He’s the reason I wanted to be an actor in the first place,” he added.

Related: Alan Arkin, Oscar-Winning 'Little Miss Sunshine' Actor, Dead at 89 (Exclusive)

On Friday, PEOPLE exclusively confirmed Arkin had died via his three sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony, who jointly offered a statement on the family’s behalf.

"Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed," they said.

Related: Michael Douglas, John Cusack, More Pay Tribute to Alan Arkin After His Death: He 'Left an Indelible Mark'

Following news of his death, Arkin’s Kominsky Method costar Michael Douglas, shared a photo of himself and the late actor alongside the message, "Today we lost a wonderful actor whose intelligence, sense of comedy and consummate professionalism over the past 70 years has left an indelible mark on our industry."

"My experience of working with Alan were some of my most memorable. He will be deeply missed. Sincere condolences to his wife, Suzanne, and his family," concluded Douglas, 78.

Other actors who shared their condolences on social media included Paul Reiser, Patton Oswalt, Jennifer Tilly, John Cusack and Michael McKean.

Related: Alan Arkin Won His Oscar for Just 14 Minutes of Screen Time in 'Little Miss Sunshine'

Arkin, who was the recipient of a Tony Award in 1963, more recently earned Emmy nominations in 2019 and 2020, and Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations in 2020 and 2021. He received a total of six Emmy nominations over the course of his career.

He won the Academy Award for his role in 2006's Little Miss Sunshine, in which he played Edwin Hoover, the grandfather of the dysfunctional family. His role — which only spanned 14 minutes of screen time — earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Arkin's memorable turn in the 2012 Ben Affleck-directed political drama Argo earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination. He played veteran producer Lester Siegel, whose sharp sense of humor and biting line delivery won over audiences.

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Arkin is survived by his wife Suzanne Newlander, whom he married in 1996, and his three children: Adam and Matthew, whom he shared with first wife Jeremy Yaffe, and Anthony, whom he shared with second wife Dana.

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