Character actor Frederic Forrest, best remembered for his roles in Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now” and his Oscar-nominated turn in “The Rose,” has died. He was 86.
In “Apocalypse Now,” he played Jay ‘Chef’ Hicks, the former New Orleans chef on the river patrol boat who loses about ten inches of height thanks to Marlon Brando’s Col. Kurtz.
He would go on to work with Coppola in numerous films, including “One From the Heart,” “Hammett,” “Tucker: The Man and His Dream”, and famously “The Conversation”, where his voice is heard throughout the film over a recording.
Other film credits include “Falling Down,” “The Missouri Breaks,” “The Two Jakes,” “Point Blank,” “Trauma,” “When the Legends Die” and “Valley Girl” whilst TV credits include “Quo Vadis,” “Lonesome Dove” and “21 Jump Street”.
Forrest’s death was confirmed by his sister, Ginger Jackson, and was first revealed by his “The Rose” co-star Bette Midler on Twitter who paid tribute, saying:
“The great and beloved Frederic Forrest has died. Thank you to all of his fans and friends for all their support these last few months. He was a remarkable actor, and a brilliant human being, and I was lucky to have him in my life. He was at peace.”
Coppola also paid tribute, writing in a statement:
“Freddie Forrest was a sweet, much-beloved person, a wonderful actor and a good friend. His loss is heartbreaking to me.”
Forrest was married twice, the second time to Marilu Henner. He is survived by his sister, nephew and niece.
Source: Variety
