John Singleton, 51, was taken off life support on Monday after being in a medically induced coma. Following the heartbreaking news, several celebrities spoke out about the impact the Oscar-nominated director had had on their lives.
"I Will Forever Miss My Brother John Singleton. We Met While He Was A Film Student At USC," fellow filmmaker Spike Lee recalled in an Instagram post. "Over Many Years People Have Told Me “I’m Going To Be A Filmmaker”, When John Said That To Me The 1st Time We Met, I Believed Him Right Away. It Was No Surprise. With His Passion, His Heart, The Way He Talked About His Love For Cinema And Black Folks I Could See John Would Make It Happen, And He Did."
Singleton's debut film, Boyz n the Hood (1991), became revered for how it compassionately depicted life for young Black men in South Central Los Angeles. The following year, he earned a Best Director Academy Award nomination for the mainstream hit, becoming the youngest person and first African-American to do so.
The acclaimed director was hospitalized after suffering a "major stroke" on April 17.
"RIP John Singleton. So sad to hear," Jordan Peele tweeted about the news. "John was a brace artist and a true inspiration. His vision changed everything."
Check out what other prominent figures in Black Hollywood, including Regina King, Robert Townsend and Shonda Rhimes, had to say about the iconic filmmaker below.