Celebs From Across The Industry Pay Tribute To Ivan Reitman's Career
Hollywood mourns the loss of a powerful and creative mind with the news that "Ghostbusters," "Stripes," and "Twins" director Ivan Reitman has sadly passed away at the age of 75. The famed director, responsible for many iconic comedies, died "peacefully in his sleep" on Saturday, which his family described as an "unexpected loss" (via Associated Press).
As well as directing some staples of '80s cinema, Reitman also produced other beloved box-office hits such as "Animal House," "Space Jam," and his son Jason Reitman's Oscar-nominated dramedy, "Up in the Air," starring George Clooney, in 2009. The two's latest collaboration came in the form of "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," which saw him hand over the keys to the Ecto-1 to his son, who directed the latest installment.
Since the heartbreaking announcement, many Hollywood stars have offered words of sympathy and respect to the family of the late director who made such a significant impact on the film industry.
Hollywood stars mourn the loss of Reitman and discuss his impact on their careers
Ghostbuster Ernie Hudson, who returned as Winston Zeddemore in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," reflected on the loss on Twitter, saying, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of Ivan Reitman. Truly a great man and filmmaker who I had honor and privilege of knowing and working with." Breckin Meyer, the actor known for comedy hits like "Road Trip," which Reitman executive produced, spoke about working with the producer, proclaiming that "there wasn't, and still isn't, a day that we forgot what a COMEDIC MASTER he was. Growing up on his work and THEN getting to work with him was a dream. He was encouraging, brilliant, and pretty much right about everything." Many others, including major names in Hollywood like screenwriter Jon Hurwitz, Kumail Nanjiani, Mindy Kaling, and Judd Apatow, also posted on Twitter about the loss of Reitman and his impact on them.
Reitman also looks to have been a mentor to the next generation of comedy greats, as according to "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" director Phil Lord, "Ivan Reitman was very good to me and @chrizmillr. He sought us out and encouraged us when we made our first movie ... and spent DAYS giving us helpful notes [on 'Into the Spider-Verse']." Lord also went on to say that Reitman "was always rigorous, curious, and generous with his advice. He cared about comedy but also about story and character and making a movie Good. Lucky to have known a fellow traveler who proved you can have it all." Reitman clearly had a major impact on the entertainment industry and creators who worked with him, while people everywhere continue to appreciate the many hit comedies and other films that he's personally worked on.