Richard Roundtree, the star of Shaft, has passed away aged 81.
The actor played the starring role in Shaft in 1971 and reprised the roles for the sequels and the TV show, before playing a part in the reboots in 2000 and 2019, which starred Samuel L. Jackson.
His passing was confirmed in a statement to Entertainment Tonight by his agency and manager.
"Artists & Representatives Agency mourns the loss of our friend and client Richard Roundtree," the agency said in a statement. "His trailblazing career changed the face of entertainment around the globe and his enduring legacy will be felt for generations to come. Our hearts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."
Roundtree passed away following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, and he was surrounded by his family.
Other notable credits for the star include Se7en, George of the Jungle, Moving On, and Inchon. On the small screen, he starred in Roots, Alias, Desperate Housewives, and Family Reunion.
Gabrielle Union, who featured in Being Mary Jane alongside Roundtree, took to X (formerly Twitter) to pay her respects.
"Working with Richard Roundtree was a dream," she wrote. "Getting to hang with him & our Being Mary Jane family was always a good ass time with the best stories & laughs. He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him. He was simply the best & we all loved him."
Comedian Loni Love also took to the social media platform to offer her condolences. She wrote: "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."
Samuel L. Jackson also offered his thoughts, saying: "The passing of Richard Roundtree is a real blow. Loved being around him, learning, working, laughing & feeling Blessed to have an idol live up to who I expected him to be!! Thanks for making us feel REAL GOOD about ourselves! Rest In Power."
Roundtree had a health battle in 1993 when he was diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 1997 he opened up about his diagnosis.
As reported by the Hollywood Reporter, he said: "Breast cancer is not gender specific. And men have this cavalier attitude about health issues. I got such positive feedback because I spoke out about it, and it’s been quite a number of years now. I’m a survivor."
Our thoughts are with Roundtree's family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
