Burt Reynolds Dies at 82

Cultural icon Burt Reynolds, who starred in popular films like Deliverance, Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, and Boogie Nights, has passed away at the age of 82.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of Reynolds’ death on Thursday afternoon. According to the report, Reynolds died on Thursday morning at Jupiter Medical in Flordia, per his manager Erik Krtizer.

While THR didn’t include a cause of death, The Daily Mail reports that Reynolds died of a heart attack. This was a previous health concern for the actor, who underwent heart surgery in 2010.

Reynolds began taking over as one of Hollywood’s top leading men in the late 1970s, when he became the number one box-office attraction for five consecutive years. The actor became well known amongst audiences for his fun-loving, good-ol’-boy roles.

He was nominated for an Oscar in 1997, for his portrayal of porn director Jack Horner in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights. While Reynolds ended up losing the award to Good Will Hunting‘s Robin Williams, he did take home a Golden Globe.

Even in his older years, Reynolds continued his work in both film and television. The actor recently appeared in the indie film The Last Movie Star, which told the story of an aging acting legend. Reynolds was currently shooting Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie. That film is scheduled to be released in 2019.

Reynolds has also become well known for the roles that he turned down over the years. The actor reportedly turned down the roles of both Han Solo in Star Wars, and John McClane in Die Hard. He also “backed away” from playing Batman on TV in the ’60s.

He is survived by his son, Quenton, whom he adopted with ex-wife Loni Anderson, when he was three days old.