John Singleton Is In Coma, Court Papers Reveal, As Mother Seeks Conservatorship

Bruce Haring

Director John Singleton is now in a coma, according to court documents filed by his mother in pursuit of a conservatorship on the stricken film director.

Singleton suffered a major stroke in mid-month and has since been hospitalized, but this is the first report of his grave condition. The court documents were filed Thursday on behalf of Singleton’s mother, Shelia Ward. The papers state that Singleton is “currently hospitalized in a coma and is unable to provide for his personal needs” or “manage his financial resources.”

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John Singleton "Under Great Medical Care" For Stroke As Well-Wishes Pour In

Representatives of Singleton did not respond to a request for comment. Singleton’s family confirmed his stroke on April 17.

Singleton’s debut film, Boyz n the Hood, remains one of the definitive movies of the 1990s. It led to Singleton’s nomination for two Oscars – Best Director and Best Original Screenplay – becoming the youngest filmmaker to be nominated in those categories.

The gritty tale of gangs in South Central Los Angeles marked the acting debuts of Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut, and also starred Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King and Angela BassettHe later directed Michael Jackson’s video for “Remember The Time.” His other film credits include Rosewood, Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Four Brothers. In TV, Singleton directed The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, and episodes of Empire and Billions.

Social media erupted with shout-outs and prayers for the director when news leaked of his illness.

In response, the Singleton family issued a statement. “On Wednesday, April 17th, our beloved son/father, John Singleton, suffered a stroke while at the hospital. John is currently in the ICU and under great medical care. We ask that privacy be given to him and our family at this time and appreciate all of the prayers that have been pouring in from his fans, friends and colleagues.”

Sympathy continued to pour in to Singleton from celebrities on social media.

View this post on Instagram

There was a time when I was struggling to pay my bills in film school and not sure this town was for me. And one day, not long after Boyz N The Hood exploded on the scene, my phone rang. It was John Singleton. John did not know me at all. But someone at USC had told him I was talented and he was kindly calling to offer me some words of encouragement. He told me to keep writing. I never forgot it. Praying for him and for his family now.

A post shared by Shonda Rhimes (@shondarhimes) on Apr 25, 2019 at 7:36pm PDT

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