Gene Wilder Dies: Mel Brooks, Josh Gad and More Celebrities Pay Tribute

staff@people.com (Kara Warner)
Updated

Gene Wilder's celebrity friends, costars and fans are mourning the loss of the Willy Wonka star, who died Monday at age 83.

"Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time is gone," said Wilder's longtime friend and collaborator Mel Brooks in a statement to PEOPLE. "He blessed every film we did together with his special magic. And he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed."

The Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein star is being remembered by a wide range of celeb fans spanning TV, film, theater and many decades in age.

Frozen's Josh Gad wrote tributes on Twitter and Instagram.




They don't make them like #GeneWilder. He was a one of a kind. His ability to turn a phrase was unlike anything I've ever seen. Whether he was channeling un-contained chaos in Young Frankenstein or controlled nuance in Willy Wonka, he was always a supernova of unmatched energy on screen. He dared you to take his eyes off him and we the audience always lost the bet. No doubt, this has been a rough year. We have lost too many greats and a lot of them were far too young, but today's loss is hitting me especially hard. During my time in Book of Mormon, I was blessed to encounter some of the finest entertainers and dignitaries. Every performance was like hosting an Oscar party or Governors Ball, but there were only two people I ever wrote to to come backstage after the show. One was Robin Williams and the other was Gene Wilder. Robin came back and we became fast friends. Unfortunately, Gene never did, because he had to catch a train back to Connecticut. He did however, leave a message for me that he was inspired by my lunacy packaged in pathos. All I wanted to tell him was, you taught me that. You gave me and millions of others the gift of your unmatched thunderous comedic timing wrapped in the gift of your delicate vulnerability. I have never seen anything like it before and I'm not sure if I ever will again. To borrow from one of Gene's most iconic songs, he was nothing but pure imagination. And his imagination will live on for eras to come as new generations continue to discover his great works. But for now, this loss stings. It marks the end of yet another icon who will not soon be replaced. And now more than ever, we could all use a bit of that miraculous untamed comedy mixed with enormous heart. "And so shined a good deed... in a weary world." You will be missed good sir. RIP Gene Wilder

A photo posted by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on Aug 29, 2016 at 1:03pm PDT



Parenthood star Mae Whitman Tweeted that she's hosting a Gene Wilder movie marathon, presumably extending the invite to those who know the address to her "pad":


Star Trek actor George Takei praised Wilder's ability to make us all smile:



Orange Is the New Black star Uzo Aduba paid tribute to Wilder's talent:


As did singer Josh Groban, with a nod to Wilder's iconic performance of "Pure Imagination" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory:



And comedian Gilbert Gottfried shared an old photo with Wilder and comedian Richard Pryor:



Harry Connick Jr. expressed his sadness:



More stars and fans took to social media to mourn the passing of the comedy great: