Antonio Banderas and filmmaker Roland Emmerich are leading the tributes to acting icon Omar Sharif following his death on Friday (local time).
The Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago legend, who had been battling Alzheimer's disease, passed away at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt after suffering a heart attack at the age of 83.
Tributes have poured in for the movie veteran via social media, with his The 13th Warrior co-star Banderas tweeting, "My great friend Omar Sharif has passed away. I will always miss him. He was one of the best... He was a great storyteller, a loyal friend and a wise spirit."
Director Emmerich, who recruited Sharif to narrate his 2008 film 10,000 BC, writes, "Very saddened by the passing of Omar Sharif. Blessed that I was able to work with such a legend. Love to the family."
Meanwhile, Daredevil actor Vincent D'Onofrio posts, "#OmarSharif will be missed. I have watched this graceful ,this wonderful actor since I was a child. I salute him", and Frozen's Josh Gad adds, "Sad to hear about #OmarSharif. I grew up on Lawrence and Zhivago. A legacy with not one but multiple timeless classics."
Actor Matthew Modine tweets, "Thank you #OmarSharif - thank you for your intelligence, elegance & style. you made an indelible mark on cinema #RIP", while The Wire star Wendell Pierce mourns, "Elegance & Grace. Omar Sharif was a brilliant artist. He transported me to distant worlds in his films. A true Movie Star! Rest in Peace", and Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio notes, "RIP Omar Sharif - #LawrenceOfArabia one of the greatest character intros in cinema history".
Fellow actors Alec Baldwin, Rose McGowan, Dana Delany and Rosie O'Donnell, and rocker Flea were also among the stars who remembered Sharif on Twitter.com.
WENN.com
