August 7th 2023.
Ellen Burstyn paid tribute to the late Oscar-winning director William Friedkin, who directed her in the classic horror movie The Exorcist. Burstyn, who was guided to her second Oscar nomination for her turn as Chris MacNeil, the mother of possessed teenager Regan in the 1973 box office smash, called him an "original" and a "genius".
“My friend Bill Friedkin was an original; smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented,” Burstyn said in a statement. “On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius.”
Friedkin and Burstyn were both Oscar-nominated for their work on The Exorcist. Burstyn is set to reprise her role in a new Exorcist trilogy produced by Blumhouse and Universal, which was announced in 2021. The Exorcist: Believer, the first film in the new franchise, is set for release later this year, with Leslie Odom Jr cast in the new leading parent role.
Horror producer Jason Blumhouse shared his own statement on the death of Friedkin, saying he was "personally indebted to William Friedkin and saddened by his loss".
"More than any other filmmaker, he changed both the way directors approached horror films and also the perception of horror films in the broader culture," Blumhouse said. "We are deeply saddened to hear of his passing and intensely grateful for the body of work he has left behind."
Actor and director Eli Roth, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and helmed Hostel and Cain Fever, also thanked Friedkin for setting "the course of my life in a different direction with The Exorcist".
"RIP to the legend William Friedkin. One of the most impactful directors of all time and certainly set the course of my life in a different direction with The Exorcist,” he said in an Instagram post. “He was so incredibly nice and supportive the few times I was lucky enough to meet him. Watch Sorcerer and Cruising if you’ve never seen them. He was one of a kind. Legend."
Fellow Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro also mourned the loss of Friedkin on Twitter. "The world has lost one of the Gods of Cinema. Cinema has lost a true Scholar and I have lost a dear, loyal and true friend," he wrote.
Bestselling author Stephen King was among those paying tribute to the late director. “Very sorry to hear of the passing of William Friedkin, a deeply talented filmmaker," he said on Twitter. "THE EXORCIST is great, but for me the real classic was SORCERER."
Friedkin won a best director Academy Award for The French Connection in 1972, while also scoring a nomination for The Exorcist two years later. Over a career lasting nearly 70 years, he also directed The Birthday Party, The Boys in the Band and Rules of Engagement, as well as Sonny and Cher in his directorial feature film debut, Good Times. His last completed film was The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.
Kiefer Sutherland, who stars in the upcoming film – set to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival next month – said in a statement: “Working with William Friedkin was one of the great honours of my career. My condolences go to Sherry and his family." Friedkin is survived by his fourth wife and two sons.
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