“What are we gonna do, man? What are we gonna do?!?”
Bill Paxton (1955 – 2017)
Yesterday we lost a cinematic titan. Bill Paxton, best known for his roles in Independence Day, Spaceballs and… what? That’s Bill Pullman? Oh, right. Sorry. Let me start over.
Yesterday we lost a cinematic titan. Bill Paxton, best known for his eclectic oeuvre, which included over 90 credits in both film and television, passed away on February 25, 2017 from reported complications during an unknown surgery.
In all seriousness, Paxton was an amazing actor who was capable of being hysterically funny and incredibly dramatic. From one of his first appearances as a blue-mohawked thug in The Terminator to his most recent run as a corrupt detective on the television remake of Training Day, Paxton never sat in a pocket of familiarity, showing his comedic chops in films like Weird Science, as well as his dramatic abilities in films like Apollo 13. Never one to turn down cheesy fun (Twister), Paxton always made time for good friends, appearing in five James Cameron films (The Terminator, Aliens, True Lies, Titanic, as well as Cameron’s Titanic documentary, Ghosts of the Abyss). And he didn’t stop at acting, either directing a handful of films, including Matthew McConaughey in the twisty psychological thriller, Frailty.
Paxton will certainly be missed, and I’d like to take this moment to send my condolences to all of his family and friends. He truly will be missed among all of his fans!