Famed acting coach John Kirby, who was best known for working with names like Cameron Diaz, Hillary Duff, Renée Taylor, Jordin Sparks, Jeremy Sumpter, Lewis Tan, Frank Capra and many others, has died. He was 75 years old at the time of his passing.
John Kirby dies at 75
Kirby’s acting studio director Nathan Nesbitt recently confirmed the news that the legendary acting coach had died on his Instagram account. He wrote: “It is with a broken heart that I am here to officially announce the passing of our beloved John in the early hours of Wednesday 15th July, and it has been devastating for all of us, and we are trying to find a way to cope.”Three years ago, the acting coach revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and was coping with the disease. He further shared that, “I can’t turn on a television or watch a movie without recognizing someone John coached, mentored, or influenced. His fingerprints are everywhere in this industry. His impact extends far beyond the performances we see on screen — it’s woven into the very fabric of Hollywood.”He has also worked with many celebrities on the set of the film, including such names as “Peter Pan”, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, “Outlander”, “Hotel California”, “Scream 4”, “Stick It” and “Prom”.
What is ALS?
ALS is, according to the Cleveland Clinic, a “neurodegenerative condition that affects the way nerve cells communicate with muscles. It leads to muscle weakness that gets worse over time. Symptoms can affect how you move, talk and breathe. Treatment for ALS includes therapies and medications to control symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.”
The tributes to John Kirby are coming
Many celebrities, family friends and members of the public alike took to social media accounts to share tributes to the acting coach. Chrissy Metzone of the many actresses he trained, who is best known for her drama series, ‘This is Us’, took to her Instagram account to share a photo of the two of them smiling for the camera. She wrote: “My John. My mentor. My friend. My cheerleader when there was no chance of winning. My sounding board free of judgement, full of encouragement and always from a deep place of love. I can never thank you enough for believing in me. I will never beat your innate sense of intuition, every time. In your suffering, you remained a brilliant and selfless teacher who will continue to bring people together. Your legacy will live on in each of us, always.”
Who was John Kirby?
John Kirby was the son of an actor Bruce Kirby from ‘Columbo’ and the brother of actor Bruno Kirby from ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Although he had a family background in acting, Kirby made a career out of helping people get in front of the camera; instead of opting for the same line, he chose to become a performance coach.Throughout his career, he trained many legendary actors and actresses who went on to star in blockbuster and successful films. This list includes names like Jeff Bridges, Jim Caviezel, Cameron Diaz, Chrissy Metz, Morris Chestnut, Judith Light, Renée Taylor, Jordin Sparks, Hillary Duff, Jeremy Sumpter, Lewis Tan, Frank Capra, Jessica Marie Garcia, Alyson Stoner and star Kara Killmer.Not only that, but he was also known for offering destination based queries.