Hollywood mourns as Oscar-winning director William Friedkin and Sandra Bullock's partner Bryan Randall pass away
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Many of us have been fortunate to experience the joy of growing up while watching legendary films created by talented directors. However, it is a sombre week in the history of cinema and the entertainment world.
Both Oscar-winning director William Friedkin and Bryan Randall, the dedicated partner of Sandra Bullock, have sadly passed away within days of each other.
William Friedkin, best known for his films The Exorcist and The French Connection, died at 87 in Los Angeles on Monday, according to an announcement by his executive assistant Marcia Franklin.
Having been hailed as a leading member of the new generation of filmmaking by some of the most recognisable critics of the 1970s, Friedkin was the crafty mastermind behind two of the most-loved films of all time.
His 1971 film The French Connection won Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Film Editing, and its car-chase sequence, which was 'legitimately life-threatening' as Friedkin himself said, was the cherry on top of his immaculate storytelling and direction.
The follow-up to that, his 1973 film The Exorcist, was an adaptation of the William Peter Blatty horror novel that was met with even more praise and success than the previous film. The movie gained ten Oscar nominations and won two, Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Sound, on its release.
Though William Friedkin had enjoyed significant success in the 1970s with films such as To Live and Die in LA, Cruising, Rules of Engagement, and a TV remake of 12 Angry Men, his most recent work will, thankfully, still be shown on screen.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, starring Kiefer Sutherland and due for release at the Venice Film Festival next month, was one of his last directorial feats.
Video source: Movieclips.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Mr Friedkin was married three times, each marriage being brief. His first wife was the French actress Jeanne Moreau, followed by the British actress Lesley-Anne Down, and then the longtime Los Angeles TV news anchor Kelly Lange.
In 1991, he married Sherry Lansing, who was a Paramount studio executive.
The sad news of Friedkin's death comes shortly after the passing of Bryan Randall, the man described as the 'love of [Sandra Bullock's] life' and the partner of 15 years to the actress.
In a statement released to People magazine, Randall's family said: 'It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS.'
Randall had chosen to keep his journey with the illness private over the three-year battle.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rare neurological disorder that specifically targets motor neurons, which are responsible for regulating voluntary muscle movements in the body.
Randall's family went on to say, 'We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours.'
Bullock, 59, and Randall first met at the birthday party of Bullock's son Louis in 2015 and were a picture-perfect couple right up until the end. Back in 2021, in an appearance on Red Table Talk, Bullock opened up about her relationship with Randall—which very much remained strong throughout the years even without a ring or any paperwork.
Bullock said: 'He's the example that I would want my children to have. I'm stubborn, but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, "You're saying it differently, but we mean exactly the same thing." It's hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself.'
We at the SDC would like to express our heartfelt condolences to everyone who had the privilege of knowing and caring for William Friedkin and Bryan Randall. May the impact they've left, both on and off the screens, continue to live on through time.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this news, members. Feel free to share them in the comments section below.
Both Oscar-winning director William Friedkin and Bryan Randall, the dedicated partner of Sandra Bullock, have sadly passed away within days of each other.
William Friedkin, best known for his films The Exorcist and The French Connection, died at 87 in Los Angeles on Monday, according to an announcement by his executive assistant Marcia Franklin.
Having been hailed as a leading member of the new generation of filmmaking by some of the most recognisable critics of the 1970s, Friedkin was the crafty mastermind behind two of the most-loved films of all time.
His 1971 film The French Connection won Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Picture, Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium, and Best Film Editing, and its car-chase sequence, which was 'legitimately life-threatening' as Friedkin himself said, was the cherry on top of his immaculate storytelling and direction.
The follow-up to that, his 1973 film The Exorcist, was an adaptation of the William Peter Blatty horror novel that was met with even more praise and success than the previous film. The movie gained ten Oscar nominations and won two, Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Sound, on its release.
Though William Friedkin had enjoyed significant success in the 1970s with films such as To Live and Die in LA, Cruising, Rules of Engagement, and a TV remake of 12 Angry Men, his most recent work will, thankfully, still be shown on screen.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, starring Kiefer Sutherland and due for release at the Venice Film Festival next month, was one of his last directorial feats.
Video source: Movieclips.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Mr Friedkin was married three times, each marriage being brief. His first wife was the French actress Jeanne Moreau, followed by the British actress Lesley-Anne Down, and then the longtime Los Angeles TV news anchor Kelly Lange.
In 1991, he married Sherry Lansing, who was a Paramount studio executive.
Oscar-winning director William Friedkin died at 87, while Sandra Bullock's longtime partner, Bryan Randall, passed away at 57. Credit: Twitter/mubi, Instagram/bryrandall.
The sad news of Friedkin's death comes shortly after the passing of Bryan Randall, the man described as the 'love of [Sandra Bullock's] life' and the partner of 15 years to the actress.
In a statement released to People magazine, Randall's family said: 'It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS.'
Randall had chosen to keep his journey with the illness private over the three-year battle.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, is a rare neurological disorder that specifically targets motor neurons, which are responsible for regulating voluntary muscle movements in the body.
Randall's family went on to say, 'We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours.'
Bullock, 59, and Randall first met at the birthday party of Bullock's son Louis in 2015 and were a picture-perfect couple right up until the end. Back in 2021, in an appearance on Red Table Talk, Bullock opened up about her relationship with Randall—which very much remained strong throughout the years even without a ring or any paperwork.
Bullock said: 'He's the example that I would want my children to have. I'm stubborn, but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, "You're saying it differently, but we mean exactly the same thing." It's hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself.'
We at the SDC would like to express our heartfelt condolences to everyone who had the privilege of knowing and caring for William Friedkin and Bryan Randall. May the impact they've left, both on and off the screens, continue to live on through time.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this news, members. Feel free to share them in the comments section below.
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to both of these men
Rip 
