By Wonderwall.com Editors
3:40pm PDT, Apr 29, 2019
The shocking news hit the entertainment world on Monday: in the wake of a stroke suffered in mid-April, beloved director John Singleton was being taken off life support. He passed away on April 29 at the age of 51. A Singleton family rep said he passed "peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends." After the death, many of Hollywood's biggest names took to social media to honor the "Boyz in the Hood" and "Poetic Justice" director. Click through to see how the cinema world is mourning the loss of the great John Singleton.
"Rest In Power, my friend. One of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you GOD for blessing us with this gift better known as John Singleton. Having trouble finding enough words to share just what you mean to me. Will always love you John! Your spirit will forever shine bright" –Regina King
"Sending all the love in my heart to John Singleton and his family during this time" —Halle Berry
"RIP John Singleton. So sad to hear. John was a brave artist and a true inspiration. His vision changed everything." –Jordan Peele
"Mourning the loss of a collaborator & True Friend John Singleton. He blazed the trail for many young film makers, always remaining true to who he was & where he came from!!! RIP Brother. Gone Way Too Soon!" –Samuel L. Jackson
"I met John as a recently graduated first-time writer/director embarking on his nascent film career. I will forever remember him fondly from our first meeting during the audition process. He exuded many things that day…awareness, openness and above all, enthusiasm! Over the years, he never lost or left any of that behind. He provided and possessed a clarity of vision that I appreciate from that day till this. He gave a voice and an opportunity to many. Count me in that grateful number." –Angela Bassett
"Rest up John Singleton. We never met, but Remember The Time literally changed my life. Thank you so much. God Bless you" –Chance the Rapper
"RIP John Singleton. He was the first African American AND the youngest person to ever be nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards. Incredible talent. He will be missed." –Mayim Bialik
"God Bless this guy. John Singleton Damn. Such a nice guy.Talented guy.Generous Gave so many people there Big Breaks. What a nice loyal guy he was. #johnsingleton Literally gave me the opportunity of my career. Was so supportive t& was my biggest fan making Higher Learning" –Michael Rapaport
"So so sad. Rest in peace #JohnSingleton" –Katie Couric
"JOHN SINGLETON . A GENIUS . Thank you for capturing US like no other ." –Janelle Monae
"RIP John Singleton. To create a film as culturally significant as Boyz n the Hood and also a popcorn movie as fun as Shaft is true talent. Will miss his voice" –Ike Barinholtz
"This is really sad news. Rest in peace John Singleton" –Larry Wilmore
"John Singleton gave me a chance. When I left the audition for "Boyz N' The Hood" as he shook my hand, he gave me a stronger grip than normal and looked me in the eye. I felt he was basically giving me a signal that I had the job without telling me… John Singleton, thank you for your vision. Thank you for holding my hand a little stronger. Thank you for connecting with me and thank you for connecting me to history. Thank you for connecting and transcending generations, nationalities, nations, races, communities, societies. Thank you, John Singleton, for connecting us all. #RIP #JohnSingleton –Morris Chestnut
"My heart and prayers go out to the amazing filmmaker, father, and human being John Singleton. His legacy that has been filled with so much positivity and creativity will surely stand the test of time. 🙏🏾" –Martin Lawrence
"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." –Shonda Rhimes
"You always had wise words to share with me. You were also real as f—. Your work influenced all of us. Thank you for reminding us we can be as black as we wanna be and still get nominated for Oscars. But you didn't do it for that. You did it for us. I'm gon miss you. We all are." –Lena Waithe
"Rest in power, brotha 🙏🏿." –Aldis Hodge
"I really didnt want to believe I'd to have to write something like this about John. I am a believer of miracles. Alas…I met John when my older sister Kelly enrolled at USC in 1986 & quickly became friends with a group of fun loving, black, creative masterminds. They called themselves the "Black Pack" I was 13 then and in awe of how loud and proud they were. Each friend contributing a different vibe and talent. By the time I turned 18 they chaperoned (yeah right 🤗) my birthday party. When I transferred to UCLA they promised my family they would look out for me & they did. The entire time I've been in Hollywood I knew I had big brothers who had my back & that knowledge gave me wings. While they all accomplished so much, there was John breaking barrier after barrier making dreams into reality and never losing that loud and proud, by any means necessary mentality. Flash forward decades and I'd run into him in the islands or Miami and we'd laugh in awe and glee at how far we'd both come. I will forever be grateful to the Black Pack & John Singleton. You showed me exactly what we can do when we stick together. Love & Light to all his loved ones and fans. Hold onto one another, we are greater together. Rest in eternal peace 🙏🏾" —Gabrielle Union
"Like many of us when I heard the news I wished it wasn't true. John is a true visionary and social leader. Through his arts he shared many of our truths, and I can honestly say without his works I may have not been given the chance to express myself in this industry. I'm posting this not in his memory but to speak positive energy around his spirit. So we can have more time with him and his soul 🙏🏾" –Michael B. Jordan
"On this flight back to London and I just can't sleep….. My heart is heavy there's a feeling in my chest that just won't go away….. 27 years my brother our brother and family……. in about an hour I'm about to tell you guys for the first time ever how the movie BABY BOY happened……… If anybody is down for a good detailed story… Stick around
Praying hard for you John you are not just loved you are beloved and all of this hurts…….." –Tyrese Gibson
"John Singleton put a very powerful camera lens on real life. What a good dude. I just think of chillin on the boat with ya that time. This pic reminds of that day. Rest In Power my Brother. Sail on." –Nas
"God blessings… you changed a culture with your art… and impacted the world with your vision… my prayers are still up… hoping for a miracle… @johnsingleton#prayers" —Jamie Foxx
"John you were always so encouraging and always genuine from the first time that we met! 🙏🏽Thank you for giving us so many classics for our culture! Thank you for sharing your gift with the world and being such a huge inspiration to so many. Rest Easy John🙏🏽😥Sending love to your family❤️" –LaLa Anthony
"RIP John Singleton
On February 20, 1992, he became the youngest person and first African-American to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar. He also earned a Best Original Screenplay nomination that year." –Jesse Williams
"Damn, this was just the other week ago… I hate doing these post and social media tributes because deep in my heart I don't feel like they are truly sincere or can even measure up to who we are as people. Is this really for John or just for the likes??? Do we value the attention or the Spirit??? I'm still confused by it all. But brotha this was our last conversation and though I sensed something was up, you took the time to come out and support me and whispered some power wisdom and words of encouragement in my ear. Meant so much to me, knowing that one of the greats had my back! I was humbled then and even more humbled now, that you just took the time. A true Jegna , Visionary, King that wasn't too self-absorbed to pour into others. You've given so many people opportunities and fed into your community with your art and creative leadership. I salute your Eternal Spirit and your work will live on forever. Fight the good fight! Undying Spirit! #Faithful Job Well Done King!🙏🏾 @JohnSingleton" —Nick Cannon
"I Will Forever Miss My Brother John Singleton. We Met While He Was A Film Student At USC. Over Many Years People Have Told Me "I'm Going To Be A Filmmaker", When John Said That To Me The 1st Time We Met, I Believed Him Right Away. It Was No Surprise. With His Passion, His Heart, The Way He Talked About His Love For Cinema And Black Folks I Could See John Would Make It Happen, And He Did. From Day One, We Have Remained Close Over The Decades, Cheering Each Other On In This Industry That Is Not Set Up For Us To Win. John Singleton's Films Will Live On Forever. Blessings And Prayers For His Family. May John Rest In Power. Amen." –Spike Lee
"Rest In Peace my friend! May God bless and watch over your family. You will be missed!" –Anthony Anderson
"This one really hurts. Every day, every person is a gift from God. Love you John." —Taylor Lautner
"Stars in the universe that burn the brightest, live shorter lives than others. And with their high-energy light, they transform all that basks in their luminosity. Farewell John Singleton (1968-2019)." –Neil deGrasse Tyson
"You made a girl want to be in film. Thank you so much for your work John Singleton. Rest in peace and power. #RIPJohnSingleton" –Tika Sumpter
"Thank you for introducing me to LA culture through your lens. On the east coast, you were an honest voice during some turbulent times but we will never forget the hope & beauty that prevailed in all of your work! Your soundtracks were epic! Love you John and my prayers for the kids." –Michael Ealy
"There aren't many of us out here doing this. It's a small tribe in the grand scheme of things. He was a giant among us. Kind. Committed. And immensely talented. His films broke ground. His films mattered. He will be missed. And long remembered. Thank you, John. #RunIntoHisArms" –Ava DuVernay
" I was hoping he would survive this. Thinking of #LukePerry again. Same tragedy at the same age. Both gone way too soon. #RIPJohnSingleton and thank you for your artistry." –Yvette Nicole Brown
"This is way too sad. The word 'groundbreaker' is thrown around too easily, but it applied to John Singleton, an inspirational, influential film-maker. While he had many accomplishments in TV and film, you felt he had still more surprises up his sleeve. 51 is far too young to go." –Edgar Wright
"The best life is when we leave a trail. We leave something on this earth bigger than us. John Singleton….you inspired a generation of Artists. We will shoulder on….'May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest". RIP" –Viola Davis
"John Singleton changed so much not just for film audiences, who saw their lives reflected on screen in honest and tender ways, but for filmmakers of color. He broke records, he broke stereotypes, he broke barriers. Rest In Peace." –Aisha Tyler
"Cookie and I are deeply saddened to hear about the untimely passing of our friend and outstanding filmmaker John Singleton." –Magic Johnson
Lashana Lynch
"John Singleton. The ultimate trailblazer. Real AF! Portrayed the black experience in a way that was uncompromising and rooted. Created art with such integrity that made the black community feel seen and heard. I thank you, Sir. Rest in eternal power!" –Lashana Lynch
"Sad sad news. Such a good director and so well regarded everywhere he went. We will miss his work and his storytelling voice. RIP #JohnSingleton" –Ron Howard
"John Singleton was a visionary and exceptional artist whose work I've always deeply admired. I only met him once, but I was so happy when I did and to find him filled with nothing but kindness, support, and encouragement. All prayers to his loved ones. May he forever rest." –Uzo Aduba
"Saddened to learn that legendary director & pioneer John Singleton has passed away. My condolences to his family #RIP #JohnSingleton" –Iman
"You revolutionized cinema. You nurtured talent. You were so kind. Rest In Peace John Singleton" –Bradley Whitford
"May John Singleton #RIP. "Boyz n the Hood" and so much of his work was inspired & groundbreaking. What a talented, kind person. This is truly tragic." —Bethenny Frankel
"John Singleton was a talented director and a kind man. He died too young. He will be missed." –John Carpenter
"I had the tremendous opportunity to work with John Singleton as a director on The People vs OJ Simpson, which became one of the defining moments in my career. One of those episodes directed by John titled 'The Race Card' opens with an emotional scene of Johnnie Cochran and his daughters being pulled over by an ill-intended police officer, as well as an epic courtroom scene between Cochran and [Chris] Darden where the two men have the ultimate confrontation. As a black man, father, and actor, those were very challenging scenes for me, but they were also so very important to tell the full story of Mr. Cochran, the man and attorney. John understood that and worked with us to bring those scenes to life in the way only he could – unapologetically honest and true. John was truly one of a kind and his voice and presence will be deeply missed. But the spirit of his extensive body of work – and the trails he has blazed for generations of filmmakers – will live on. Thank God for that." –Courtney B. Vance
"Cruel. Not what I want to say right now. But certainly how I feel. Cruel. Just… so cruel." –Barry Jenkins
"Saw "Boyz" at Bmore's now-demolished Westview Cinema with the teenaged Fayette St. crew we followed for "The Corner." They took the name CMB for Crenshaw Mafia Brothers & all but a few are now dead. Bullets, ODs. Mr. Singleton's opus had truth; it stands." –David Simon
"John Singleton has died. This is a big loss to the world at large. So smart, insatiably curious, and a cool dude all around. He took me to lunch twice in the last few years and was truly a gentleman. Thank you for your contributions and I'm so sorry your life was cut short" –Rose McGowan
"So sad to hear about John. I met him way before he did 'Boys in the Hood.' He had more drive then anybody I've ever met." –Chris Rock
"Thank you for all that you gave to the world the movies the messages the opportunities to so many people like myself to grace the big screen in a major role with major black actors you were and will allways be black excellence love you for life and beyond." —Snoop Dogg
"#RIP to the great #JohnSingleton. A final bump to the fistbumpiest polymath I've ever been lucky enough to work with. On set John was godfather, film-professor, anarchist, comedian, devil and cherub. Our film was no masterpiece but you were, my friend." –Jason Isaacs
