Hollywood Bids Farewell to Late Director John Singleton

John Singleton. Photo by Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock (10081595dn)

John Singleton made history with his breakout hit Boyz n the Hood, and set standards for aspiring filmmakers to follow. His collaborators and Hollywood peers remember him fondly after his passing at the age of 51.

Singleton suffered a stroke on April 17 and was placed under intensive care at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital where he passed away 13 days later. The director’s family released an official statement to make the tragic announcement and thanked his fans, friends, and colleagues for the love and support they showed during this difficult time.

John Singleton became the youngest and the very first African-American filmmaker to ever receive a nomination for Academy Award for best director thanks to Boyz n the Hood. His illustrious filmography also includes Poetic Justice, Shaft and 2 Fast 2 Furious.

Industry veterans who had a pleasure of working with Singleton had nothing but words of praise for the director. Directors Guild president Thomas Schlamme reflected on the impact he made during his three-decade-long career, and the way he influenced upcoming filmmakers.

“John didn’t just make his feature film debut in 1991 with Boyz N the Hood, he exploded into Hollywood, our culture and our consciousness with such a powerful cinematic depiction of life in the inner city… Our hearts are heavier today at the DGA, as we mourn this tremendous loss,” said Schlamme in an official statement.