Millions of fans and a whole host of fellow celebrities are mourning the loss of legendary actor, Burt Reynolds, who died Thursday at the age of 82. Reynolds, who starred in numerous movies, including “Smokey and the Bandit” and “The Longest Yard,” enjoyed an enduring career, making his final movie appearance as late as this year in “Defining Moments.”
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Reynolds, a well-known womanizer during his early days in Hollywood, shared some interesting reflections on his lifestyle during a 2016 interview with The Mirror.
“I made some stupid mistakes,” he said of his wild days as a young actor. “And I haven’t been the nicest guy in the world about keeping my mouth shut about women.”
At 80 years of age, as his health began to decline and he was forced to walk with a cane, Reynolds became quite comfortable with contemplating his own mortality.
“I just think of the luck I’ve had. I’d like my epitaph to be, ‘He had a hell of a good time and he was a good friend,'” he declared. “The only thing I fear is getting sick and being a bother to people.”
Reynolds suffered a cardiac arrest Sept. 6 at a hospital in Jupiter, Florida.
“I don’t fear dying,” he said just two years ago as he reflected on a glittering career in Hollywood. “I talk to God every night.”
After hearing the news of Reynolds’ passing, faith-filled singer Dolly Parton paid tribute to her good friend on Twitter:
“Oh how sad I am today along with Burt‘s millions of fans around the world as we mourn one of our favorite leading men,” she posted, along with an image of them both. “I know we will always remember his funny laugh, that mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and his quirky sense of humor. You will always be my favorite sheriff, rest in peace my little buddy and I will always love you, Dolly.”
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) September 6, 2018
Many others took to social media to pay tribute to a man who became a well-loved icon of the entertainment industry for several decades. Christian actor Kevin Sorbo noted that Reynolds was one of his “favorite stars” he ever had the pleasure of meeting.
One of my favorite stars and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times over the years. Last time was a year ago at a Comic Con. He actually came into my Q and A and we had a nice little chat with the fans. I sent him a script… https://t.co/M1xmbigfGJ
— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) September 7, 2018
Before his sudden death, Reynolds was reportedly preparing for a huge role in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood.”