‘The Exorcist’ Actress Ellen Burstyn Mourns Director William Friedkin: “Smart, Cultured, Fearless, and Wildly Talented”

In light of The Exorcist director William Friedkin‘s devastating passing today at the age of 87, Ellen Burstyn honored her beloved director and “friend,” per Deadline.

“My friend Bill Friedkin was an original; smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented,” Burstyn shared on Monday. “On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius.”

Burstyn starred as Chris MacNeil, mother of the possessed Regan (Linda Blair) in Friedkin’s 1973 film adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name. Her performance garnered her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in 1974, an award she ultimately won the following year for her work in the 1974 drama Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

According to Deadline, she is set to reprise her role in the upcoming Exorcist film trilogy, the first of which — The Exorcist: Believer — is set to be released on Oct. 13, and is starring Leslie Odom Jr. as the film’s hero Victor Fielding. Other stars of the film include Lidya Jewett, Olivia Marcum, Ann Dowd, Norbert Leo Butz, and Jennifer Nettles.

The second film of the trilogy, The Exorcist: Deceiver has an intended release date of April 18, 2025. The title and release date of the third film has yet to be announced.

The trilogy’s producer Jason Blum also released a statement in honor of Friedkin, expressing that he is “personally indebted to William Friedkin and saddened by his loss.”

“More than any other filmmaker, he changed both the way directors approached horror films and also the perception of horror films in the broader culture,” he continued. “We are deeply saddened to hear of his passing and intensely grateful for the body of work he has left behind.”

The Exorcist is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.