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Bill Paxton: One in a Million
02-28-2017 by Katie Marzullo
In the midst
of our happy Oscars celebrations this weekend, we were dealt a
devastating blow when we learned of the death of beloved actor Bill
Paxton. It was truly a shock, and it certainly hit home for us here
at YH, as we had spoken with him just earlier this month on the set
of his new TV show, "Training Day". The 61-year-old seemed in peak
physical condition as we caught him on video performing many of his
own stunts for the CBS action series, which premiered on February 2
and has only aired 4 episodes thus far...
Paxton first gained stardom at the age of 8, but not as an
actor -- a photo of him emerged showing him being
held so he could see President John F. Kennedypassing by on his motorcade one fateful November day in 1962. He
would later witness President Kennedy getting assassinated, a
moment that would stay with him his whole life. It wasn't until a
decade later that Paxton’s film & TV career
wouldn’t begin, and in the years that followed, he would
establish himself as one of the most versatile and reliable actors
in the business.
His career spanned four decades, getting his start behind the
scenes in the art department before he started booking roles in
front of the camera. Much of his work is now considered iconic
today, and his resume includes a slew of cinema classics -- fromThe Terminator and Aliens to Twister andTitanic, as well as Apollo 13,Tombstone, and even his scene-stealing role inJohn Hughes's Weird Science. His work
wasn't limited to the big screen, though. He had an enormously
successful run on HBO's "Big Love" (for which he was nominated for
3 Golden Globes) and also a well-received stint in The History
Channel's "Hatfields & McCoys" miniseries.
(warning: some NSFW content)
His fans and friends, young and old alike, have paid tribute
to him. Rob Lowe referred to him as
“Renaissance Man”; Brian Lynch called
him a talented director who was underrated; Jennifer
Aniston mentioned him in her In Memoriam speech at the
Oscars, touching on how he was a beloved actor and friend and a
cherished member of the Hollywood Family. Jamie Lee
Curtis and Charlize Theron remembering
him for being a talented, loving human being, a kind and funny
man, a great husband, and a loving father.
Indeed, you would be hard-pressed to find a man more
universally respected and loved in this industry, and whose resume
would make any actor envious. Talents like Bill Paxton don't come
along too often, but we're just grateful that he's left behind some
seriously memorable cinematic memories for us to cherish.
R.I.P., Bill Paxton, you are greatly missed!
(Image via FayesVision/WENN)
- Katie Marzullo, YH Staff Editor; additional reporting by Natalya Gioiella, YH Contributing Writer