Jonathan Demme Remembered: Barry Jenkins, Ron Howard, Edgar Wright & More Mourn On Twitter

Jude Dry
Updated

The film world was deeply saddened when news broke today that Oscar-winning “The Silence of the Lambs” director Jonathan Demme had died in New York at the age of 73. Demme was a brilliant and versatile auteur, traversing genres with rarely a misfire. He is remembered by those who worked with him, and those whom his work inspired.

Tom Hanks, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a lawyer dying of AIDS in Demme’s “Philadelphia,” wrote: “Jonathan taught us how big a heart a person can have, and how it will guide how we live and what we do for a living. He was the grandest of men.” Meryl Streep, who worked with Demme on 2015’s “Ricki and the Flash,” said: “A big hearted, big tent, compassionate man- in full embrace in his life of people in need- and of the potential of art, music, poetry and film to fill that need- a big loss to the caring world.”

READ MORE: Jonathan Demme’s Last Project, ‘Shots Fired,’ Airs Tonight – Remembering His Best TV Work

Jodie Foster, who of course starred in Demme’s best-known film, “The Silence of the Lambs” penned this moving statement: “I am heart-broken to lose a friend, a mentor, a guy so singular and dynamic you’d have to design a hurricane to contain him. Jonathan was as quirky as his comedies and as deep as his dramas. He was pure energy, the unstoppable cheerleader for anyone creative. Just as passionate about music as he was about art, he was and will always be a champion of the soul. JD, most beloved, something wild, brother of love, director of the lambs. Love that guy. Love him so much.”

READ MORE: Remembering Jonathan Demme: Why He Was One of the Great Filmmakers of Our Time

Strand Releasing’s Marcus Hu shared the above photo of Demme with Christine Vachon, Hu, and John Waters. Hu said of Demme: “I loved Jonathan, he was always so sweet and always laughed with him that he started doing film publicity back at Avco Embassy!”

Many more responded on Twitter, including “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins, who tweeted: “A MASSIVE soul. He lived in love. And rests in peace.” Producer Ira Deutchman, who worked with Demme on the groundbreaking Talking Heads music documentary, “Stop Making Sense,” wrote: “He was one of the greatest filmmakers I ever worked with. A total class act.” PBS’s Tavis Smiley posted a photo of Demme filming during the Standing Rock demonstrations.

Here are some more reactions to the news of this devastating loss for the film community:

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