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Just a day prior, Ebert announced a recurrence of his cancer. As a result, he would take a "leave of presence" from film reviews, writing only of those he wished to reflect upon.
Actors, directors, writers, friends, and even President Obama took to
Some shared memories and reflections.
we lost a thoughtful writer, i remember my first review from him, pi (i got his and siskel's thumbs) it was a career highlight. #rogerebert
— darren aronofsky (@DarrenAronofsky) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert RIP. I never grew tired of his opinions...on everything.Great man, great guest and great sense of humor.I will miss him.
— Howard Stern (@HowardStern) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert was an excellent writer, a gifted artist, and as nice a guy as you'll ever meet.Sad he's gone.
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 4, 2013
I Miss My Dear Friend Roger Ebert.Roger Was One Of The 1st Major Movie Critics To Support My Joints,Especially Malcolm X And DTRT.-R.I.P.
— Spike Lee (@SpikeLee) April 4, 2013
Ever a class act, @ebertchicago made me love
— Seth Green (@SethGreen) April 4, 2013movies even more. bit.ly/Y0z147 #RIP
Tom Hanks' son, Colin:
Great memory of Jake Kasdan & I meeting & talking with Roger Ebert during the OC junket. He was very kind to us. He felt more like peer #RIP
— Colin Hanks (@ColinHanks) April 4, 2013
Most shared condolences.
Sad to hear about the passing of Roger Ebert, he was a grand man & in my opinion the dean of American film critics-he will be sorely missed
— Larry King(@kingsthings) April 4, 2013
RIP Roger #Ebert. We lost a passionate and broad minded force for cinema of all shapes sizes and genres. A fine courageous writer and man
— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) April 5, 2013
Very sad over news of Roger Ebert's
— Judy Blume (@judyblume) April 4, 2013death .Will miss his tweets and reviews-- his love of movies.
RIP Ebert.
— steven yeun (@steveyeun) April 4, 2013
So sad. RIP @ebertchicago
— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) April 4, 2013
I'm saddened by the death of dear, longtime friend, film critic Roger Ebert. He will be missed.
— Hugh Hefner (@hughhefner) April 5, 2013
Words fail me. Is it unusual to talk about loving a film critic? In this case, no. I truly loved Roger. And can't believe he is gone.
— errolmorris (@errolmorris) April 5, 2013
Goodbye Roger Ebert, we had fun. The balcony is closed.
— Steve Martin (@SteveMartinToGo) April 4, 2013
Roger and Gene together again. End of an era.
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) April 4, 2013
Reading Ebert's critique of @spikelee's 'Do The Right Thing' exemplifies the importance & relevance of the form bit.ly/XgIE1h
— Joseph Gordon-Levitt (@hitRECordJoe) April 5, 2013
RIP Roger Ebert - whose great love of cinema inspired us all. He will be missed.
— zooey deschanel (@ZooeyDeschanel) April 4, 2013
Thanks Mr. Ebert.
— Steve Carell (@SteveCarell) April 4, 2013
Roger Ebert was the real deal! He loved movies, for real! Great guy, good friend. Always made me smile. Thanks for all you were!
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) April 5, 2013
Roger Ebert. Millions of thumbs up for you. RIP
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) April 4, 2013
"The movies won't be the same without Roger." —President Obama
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 4, 2013
Obama also came out with the following statement:
“For a generation of Americans — especially Chicagoans — Roger was the movies. When he didn’t like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive — capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical.”
Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Harvey Weinstein released their own statements on Ebert's passing as well.
Spielberg:
“Roger loved movies. They were his life. His reviews went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down. He wrote with passion through a real knowledge of film and film history, and in doing so, helped many movies find their audiences. Along with Gene Shalit, Joel Siegel, and of course Gene Siskel, Roger put television criticism on the map. Roger’s passing is virtually the end of an era and now the balcony is closed forever.”
Scorsese:
“The death of Roger Ebert is an incalculable loss for movie culture and for film criticism. And it’s a loss for me personally. Roger was always supportive, he was always right there for me when I needed it most, when it really counted – at the very beginning, when every word of encouragement was precious; and then again, when I was at the lowest ebb of my career, there he was, just as encouraging, just as warmly supportive. There was a professional distance between us, but then I could talk to him much more freely than I could to other critics. Really, Roger was my friend. It’s that simple.
Few
We all knew that this moment was coming, but that doesn’t make the loss any less wrenching. I’ll miss him — my dear friend, Roger Ebert.”
Weinstein:
“Roger Ebert was a passionate critic who understood that he needed to not only appraise films but be a champion of cinema. He was always on the side of movies that needed that extra push. The only thing that tops him as a writer was his kindness as a human being. I will miss Roger very much and my heart goes out to Chaz and the entire family.”
Here's Ebert's last Tweet from April 3:
My Leave of Presence: An updatehttp://j.mp/YRRHq8
— Roger Ebert (@ebertchicago) April 3, 2013
Some of the film critic's final written words were, "see you at the movies."