By The passing of Richard Roundtree, the legendary actor renowned for his portrayal of John Shaft in the Shaft movie series of the 1970s, has left his fans and colleagues in mourning. At the age of 81, Roundtree lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at his residence in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
His manager confirmed this sad news.
Many celebrities who either had the privilege of working with Roundtree or admired his work took to social media to pay their heartfelt tributes.
Gabrielle Union, who portrayed Roundtree’s on-screen daughter in the BET series “Being Mary Jane,” shared her thoughts, saying, “Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream. Hanging out with him and our ‘Being Mary Jane’ family was always a fantastic time filled with the best stories and laughter. He was always the coolest guy in the room, radiating the best vibes. People would literally rush over to see him. He was simply the best, and we all adored him. #RIPRichardRoundtree.”
Samuel L. Jackson, who co-starred with Roundtree in the 2000 and 2019 “Shaft” films, posted a picture of them on Instagram and wrote, “Richard Roundtree, The Prototype, The Best To Ever Do It!! SHAFT, as we know it is and will always be His Creation!! His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too. Love you Brother, I see you walking down the Middle of Main Street in Heaven, and Issac’s Conducting your song, coat blowin’ in wind!!”
Tia Mowry, who worked alongside Roundtree on the Netflix series “Family Reunion,” conveyed her grief, saying, “I have no words for this loss. Richard, you have made such a lasting impact on my life. I am forever grateful for your warm energy, your light, your heart, and your incredible wisdom. I will miss you and our times together in our trailers – you teaching me the right way to take down some whiskey. I love you. Thank you for blessing this world with your gifts. Rest in Power, #RichardRoundtree.”
Jeffery Wright, who also appeared in the 2000 “Shaft” film with Roundtree and Jackson, shared his tribute on Twitter, calling Roundtree “The OG. And a lovely man. RIP.”
Other celebrities also expressed their condolences and deep respect for Richard Roundtree’s remarkable legacy.
Loni Love tweeted, “Sad to hear of the passing of Richard Roundtree… He was fabulous as John Shaft at a time when there were few leading Black men in film. He put the sexy and cool in being a detective. Rest well. Condolences to his family.”
Sheryl Lee Ralph shared her fond memories, saying, “When I was a teenager I use to dream about growing up to meet Richard Roundtree. I did and what a wonderful human being.”
Story by Aarnik
