James Cameron pays tribute to his friend Bill Paxton who passed away this weekend due to heart complications following a surgery. The award-winning director's words were not a usual statement of loss and sympathy, but captured in essence what the two men were to each other.
Cameron and Paxton both met and forged professional and personal bonds at the start of their careers. Paxton played a punk who became one of the first victims of The Terminator, Cameron's breakout film. He then took a supporting role in the director's Aliens and made it memorable by the sheer emotion he packed into the character of a panicking Marine. The actor had another pivotal role in what would turn out to be one of Cameron's greatest triumphs, Titanic.
Vanity Fair published in full Cameron's tribute to his friend, Bill Paxton:
"I've been reeling from this for the past half hour, trying to wrap my mind and heart around it. Bill leaves such a void. He and I were close friends for 36 years, since we met on the set of a Roger Corman ultra-low budget movie. He came in to work on set, and I slapped a paint brush in his hand and pointed to a wall, saying "Paint that!"
"We quickly recognized the creative spark in each other and became fast friends. What followed was 36 years of making films together, helping develop each others projects, going on scuba diving trips together, watching each others kids growing up, even diving the Titanic wreck together in Russian subs. It was a friendship of laughter, adventure, love of cinema, and mutual respect.
"Bill wrote beautiful heartfelt and thoughtful letters, an anachronism in this age of digital shorthand. He took good care of his relationships with people, always caring and present for others. He was a good man, a great actor, and a creative dynamo. I hope that amid the gaudy din of Oscar night, people will take a moment to remember this wonderful man, not just for all the hours of joy he brought to us with his vivid screen presence, but for the great human that he was.
"The world is a lesser place for his passing, and I will profoundly miss him."
The clip below is another homage from Cameron:
And beyond that, there are no words to say, except a profound silence.
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