Credit: The Jim Henson CompanyHollywood lost one of its most legendary actors, Alan Arkin, who died today at 89. After the news broke, dozens of celebrities posted on social media, lamenting the loss of an actor who could truly do it all.
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Born on March 26, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, Alan Wolf Arkin began acting with the Second City troupe in Chicago. Since then, he has starred in various movies and television shows ranging from comedic to dramatic. This includes The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966), Catch-22 (1970), The In-Laws (1979), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), Get Smart (2008), Argo (2012), and The Kominsky Method (2018-2021).
Arkin is now probably most recognized for his performance in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), which earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, two SAG Awards, and was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards.
Alan Arkin Was Hilarious, Heartbreaking, and an Unforgettable Friend
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Multiple members of the Hollywood elite have spoken out on social media, lamenting the loss of the legendary actor. Michael Douglas, his current co-star in The Kominsky Method, said on Instagram, “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 was some of my most memorable. He will be deeply missed. Sincere condolences to his wife, Suzanne, and his family.”
Billy Crystal shared a similar sentiment, Tweeting, “Alan Arkin was one of our greatest actors. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and the ability to be terrifying, his range was amazing. I cherish the chance I had to act with him in America’s Sweethearts (2001).”
Alan Arkin was one of our greatest actors. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and the ability to be terrifying, his range was amazing. I cherish the chance I had to act with him in #America’s Sweethearts. https://t.co/s7qyVpNjGe
— Billy Crystal (@BillyCrystal) June 30, 2023
John Cusack, who starred alongside Arkin in America’s Sweethearts and Grosse Pointe Blank, shared a more personal story: “‘At one point, Alan Arkin requested to do a last-minute rewrite of a scene, which made a handful of studio execs mighty uncomfortable. According to Cusack, he assured them, saying, ‘Don’t worry. That’s Alan Arkin. Anything he’s gonna do is gonna make this thing even better.'”
Cusack continued, “This is true – he wanted to rework the scene – a few people got their worried fear faces on – I looked at them kindly but as if they’d gone insane – I said you have Alan Arkin wanting to personalize and deepen this comedy we’re making – I wrote it – he can say whatever the f— he wants – sit back watch and feel lucky – please.”
I revered #AlanArkin so much I even shaved my head to look more like him. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/kW4aAhGaX7
— Paul Reiser (@PaulReiser) June 30, 2023
There was also Paul Reiser, an actor and friend of Arkin who also stars alongside him in The Kominsky Method, who said, “A world without Alan Arkin is …not so great. I’ve loved this man from the moment he came on screen in The Russians Are Coming, [the Russians Are Coming]. (Whitaker Walt!) I was 8. Getting to know him – and getting a laugh out of him – is a highlight of my life. RIP, dear friend.”
Reiser has continued sharing photos and Tweets related to the late actor, including one from actor Michael McKean who said that when asked if he wanted to be a serious or funny actor, he’d reply with, “Which one is Alan Arkin?” Reiser replied, “Ha! Exactly! There is nothing the man couldn’t do, no color he couldn’t hit. And he always made it all entirely his own.”
The legendary Alan Arkin was an unforgettable friend to us. Whether he was performing on The Muppet Show or giving tours of our studio in our movie The Muppets, he was always making us laugh. Thanks for the memories, Alan! pic.twitter.com/DF6a6RPm2w
— The Muppets (@TheMuppets) June 30, 2023
Finally, another fitting tribute came from one of Alan Arkin’s most beloved collaborators, The Muppets, who shared a warm tribute on Twitter: “The legendary Alan Arkin was an unforgettable friend to us. Whether he was performing on The Muppet Show (1974-1981) or giving tours of our studio in our movie The Muppets (2011), he was always making us laugh. Thanks for the memories, Alan!”
Thanks for the memories, indeed.
What do you think Alan Arkin’s most iconic performance was? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!