The New York Post confirmed that the Hollywood heavyweight died on Wednesday.
Jonathan’s publicist, Annalee Paulo, released a statement, saying, “I can confirm that Jonathan passed away early this morning in his Manhattan apartment, surrounded by his wife, Joanne Howard, and three children.”
The director succumbed to complications from esophageal cancer.
The 1991 film Silence of the Lambs did a sweep at the Oscars.
Jonathan rose to fame in the ’80s but catapulted into international stardom for his film The Silence of the Lambs.
The 1991 film, which starred Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, not only garnered Oscars for the cast but saw Jonathan take out Best Director.
He went on to create iconic pieces of cinema including Philadelphia (1993) and Rachel Getting Married (2008).
His final movie was in 2015, Ricki and the Flash, which stared Meryl Streep.
The star shared this poignant tribute following the sad news of Jonathan’s death, “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.”
Jonathan passed away from esophageal cancer.
Jodie Foster paid tribute to her dear friend, remarking, “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.”
Meanwhile, Tom Hanks, who starred in Philadelphia said, “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.”
The beloved Hollywood icon is survived by his wife, Joanne Howard, and three children: Ramona, 29, Brooklyn, 26, and Jos, 21.
Jodie is devastated, saying, “Love that guy. Love him so much.”
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