Frederic Forrest, 'Apocalypse Now' Actor and Bette Midler’s ‘The Rose’ Costar, Dead at 86

"I was lucky to have him in my life," Midler wrote in a Twitter tribute

Frederic Forrest, an Oscar-nominated actor, has died. He was 86.

Forrest's friend and fellow actor Barry Primus confirmed the news that the star died on Friday after a long illness to The Hollywood Reporter.

He starred opposite Bette Midler in the 1979 musical drama The Rose, where he played Midler's love interest, Huston Dyer.

On Twitter, Midler, 77, wrote in a tribute, "The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months."

She added, "He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”

"RIP to a brilliant actor," one fan wrote in response, posting a photo of Midler and Forrest in The Rose.

"Oh that is sad news, he was a wonderful actor and had so many memorable roles," another said.

"I’ll never forget his turn as the terrifying Blue Duck on the wonderful [TV] series Lonesome Dove," one other person commented. "He dominated his scenes. May he rest in peace."

In addition to The Rose, the Texas native starred as Jay "Chef" Hicks in Francis Ford Coppola's epic war movie Apocalypse Now, which was also released in 1979.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Forrest worked with Coppola, 84, on four other films: The Conversation (1974), One from the Heart (1982), Hammett (1982) and Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988).

He was also known for his TV roles, including the British political miniseries Die Kinder (1990) opposite Miranda Richardson, and for playing Captain Richard Jenkins in the first five episodes of 21 Jump Street in 1987.

Forrest was married to his college sweetheart Nancy Ann Whitaker from 1960 to 1963, and to actress Marilu Henner from 1980 to 1983.

He is survived by his sister, according to THR.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.