Regina King, Samuel L Jackson, Jordan Peele pay tributes to John Singleton

Hollywood

celebrities like Regina King, Samuel L Jackson and Jordan Peele among many remembered illustrious writer-director John Singleton, who passed away at the age of 51. The family of the Oscar-nominated director, known for critical and commercial hits such as 'Boyz n the Hood' and 'Shaft', took him off life support Monday after he suffered a major stroke on April 17.



"It is with heavy hearts we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton will be taken off of life support today. This was an agonizing decision, one that our family made, over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John's doctors," a spokesperson for the family told a website.

Singleton's 1991 drama 'Boyz N the Hood' earned him the badge of becoming the first African American and youngest person to ever be nominated for best director, earning his invite to the Oscars at age 24.

King, who worked with the filmmaker on 'Boyz n The Hood', 'Higher Power' and 'Poetic Justice', said he was "one of the greatest to ever do it".


"Rest In Power, my friend. One of the greatest to ever do it. Thank you GOD for blessing us with this gift better known as John Singleton. Having trouble finding enough words to share just," she wrote.

Jackson, who worked with Singleton in 'Shaft', tweeted that the director was a trailblazer for many up-and-coming talents.

The star Mayim Bialik called Singleton an "incredible talent".


"He was the first African American AND the youngest person to ever be nominated for Best Director at the Academy Awards... He will be missed," Bialik tweeted.

Singleton joined the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in 1990, served three terms as a member of the Western Directors Council and was the co-chair of the African American Steering Committee. His work on "American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson" earned him a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Dramatic Series in 2016.

"I was so fortunate to be a collaborator with John on the show 'Snowfall' and witnessed first-hand the enormous impact he had on so many... Our hearts are heavier today at the DGA, as we mourn this tremendous loss," DGA president Thomas Schlamme said in a statement.