Zoe Saldaña, Sam Worthington and more have paid tribute to Jon Landau, the Oscar-winning producer behind the “Avatar” movies and “Titanic,” who died of cancer July 5 at age 63.
“Avatar” star Saldaña remembered Landau in an Instagram post, writing, “Words are hard to put together right now, your passing is hitting really hard. You are leaving us too soon, my thoughts are with you and your family right now. Your wisdom and support shaped so many of us in ways we will always be grateful for. The memories we shared together will always hold a special place in my heart. Your legacy will continue to inspire us and guide us in our journey. Rest in peace, dear Jon. You will be deeply missed.”
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Worthington, who plays Jake Sully in the “Avatar” film series, referenced the Na’vi (The People) from the sci-fi franchise in his tribute to Landau.
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“Jon was all heart. He made everything and everyone he touched feel they could be better. He led with humor and strength, compassion and kindness,” Worthington said in a statement shared with Variety. “The People say all energy is borrowed and someday you have to give it back. I see you, Jon.”
“There were two poles in our ‘Avatar’ world that kept it spinning,” Sigourney Weaver said in a statement to Variety. “Jim Cameron was one pole and the other was Jon Landau. Jon made impossible feats of filmmaking seem doable on a daily basis. He brought a sense of adventure, warmth, and community to everything he did. His loss is incalculable, and we send our deepest sympathies to his family. Thank you for sharing him with all of us.”
Leonardo DiCaprio paid tribute to the “Titanic” producer on Sunday, telling Variety, “Jon was an incredibly kind, wise, and empathetic soul, who wanted to create nothing but a positive impact on anyone or anything approached. His legacy and leadership will live on forever. My condolences are with his entire family. Rest in peace; you will be deeply missed.”
Landau, a longtime producing partner to director James Cameron, was behind three of the top four highest-grossing movies of all time: “Titanic” (1997), “Avatar” (2009) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022).
“His legacy is not just the films he produced, but the personal example he set — indomitable, caring, inclusive, tireless, insightful and utterly unique. He produced great films, not by wielding power but by spreading warmth and the joy of making cinema. He inspired us all to be and to bring our best, every day,” Cameron said of Landau in a statement to Variety. “I have lost a dear friend, and my closest collaborator of 31 years. A part of myself has been torn away.”
Aside from his film collaborations with Cameron, Landau was a producer on 1987’s “Campus Man,” 2002’s “Solaris” and 2019’s “Alita: Battle Angel.”
Robert Rodriguez, the “Spy Kids” franchise creator who directed “Alita: Battle Angel,” shared a tribute to Landau on X/Twitter.
“Devastated by the loss of my friend and ‘Alita’ producer Jon Landau. He was so kind and personable that it was easy to forget he was also producing the biggest films in the world,” he wrote. “He loved his family and his extended filmmaking family. He was a true inspiration and will be greatly missed.”
Read more tributes below.