The Hollywood community is reacting to the death of actor James Caan, who died on Wednesday evening at the age of 82.
“So sorry to hear the news,” Rob Reiner wrote. “I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.”
“James Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him,” comedian Adam Sandler shared on Twitter. “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.”
“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,” Piers Morgan wrote.
“Very sad to hear the news that James Caan has died. Heartbroken for his family & his friends. Wonderful to know him & call him a pal,” actor Gary Sinise, of “Forrest Gump” fame, wrote on Twitter. “Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest In Peace. God bless you.”
“James Caan always had the funniest stories. Once he told me [Francis Ford] 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 shared.
“We were lucky enough to work with James Caan on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” Hollywood producer Christopher Miller wrote. “He brought a pathos and authenticity to the role of Tim Lockwood that held the film together. RIP to a legend.”
Caan was best known for his role in “The Godfather.” He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his work on the iconic mafia drama. He had a cameo appearance in “The Godfather Part II.”
It’s worth noting that Caan was also an unapologetic conservative who said he supported Donald Trump in 2016. “I’m an ultra conservative,” he said at Moet & Chandon’s 6th Annual Hollyshorts Film Festival Opening Night Celebration in Los Angeles, per Fox News. “I’m not a G**damn Hollywood liberal, I’m not,” he continued, swearing he only watched Fox News.
He also appeared in other major films, including the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy “Elf” and as a voice actor in “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”
Caan’s family released a statement announcing his death via his Twitter profile.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time,” it read.