‘The Exorcist’ Stars Ellen Burstyn And Linda Blair Praise William Friedkin For His ‘Genius’ Talent After His Death At 87 Years Old
08.08.2023 - 18:19
/ etcanada.com
“The Exorcist” stars Ellen Burstyn and Linda Blair are remembering just how much of a powerful force of talent the late director William Friedkin was.
Following his death on Monday at age 87, Burstyn, 80 and Blair, 64, who scared audiences worldwide with their mother-daughter performances in 1973’s iconic “The Exorcist”, sang their high praises to the late director.
READ MORE: ‘The Exorcist’ Director William Friedkin Says There’s No Plan For A Reboot: ‘It’s A Flat-Out Lie’
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Burstyn remembered Friedkin for his “genius” talent, raving: “My friend Bill Friedkin was an original; smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented. On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius.”
Blair took to Instagram to commemorate the loss of the director who cast her in the role that shot her to superstardom, sharing a slideshow of their pics throughout the years.
The slideshow’s caption referenced Sidney Poitier’s 1967 film “To Sir, With Love”, asking: “How do you put into words appreciation to the person that changed your life forever, along with the world?”
READ MORE: ‘The Exorcist: Believer:’ Brace Yourself For The Demonic Onslaught In The Most Terrifying Chapter
Continuing her compliments, Blair called the Oscar-winning filmmaker a “true maverick throughout his career in the film industry” and felt grateful for collaborating with someone “every actor wanted to work with.”
The loss of Friedkin comes after Burstyn is set to reprise her role as Chris MacNeil in the heavily anticipated sequel to “The Exorcist”, “The Exorcist: Believer”, which is prepped to be directed by