Scott Caan Reflects on Last Chat With Dad James Caan Before His Death

By Daniel S. Levine

Before James Caan died, his son, Hawaii Five-0 star Scott Caan, got one more special moment with the legendary actor. In a new interview with Extra, Scott spoke about his final conversations with The Godfather actor. Caan died on July 6, 2022, at 82 following a heart attack.

"We've always been close... I'm not gonna get into the specifics, but there was nothing that needed to be said, that wasn't said," Scott, 46, told Extra. He also described his dad as "one of the greatest human beings of all time." The actor added, "If you knew him, you knew that you'll never meet anyone like him ever again."

As for the best piece of advice he picked up from Caan, Scott recalled how everything was a sports metaphor with his dad. "Keep your head down when you're fielding a ground ball, you know what I mean? It was always sports with him," Scott said. "When I was 3 or 4 years old, he said, 'If someone does something that you don't like, you ask them once not to do it, and if they do it again, then you can hit him.'"

Scott and his father worked together in 2012 when Caan appeared in the Hawaii Five-0 episode "Lekio." In a 2010 joint interview with PEOPLE, Scott admitted that his relationship with Caan was "dysfunctional" growing up. He was raised by his mother, Sheila Ryan, to whom Caan was married from 1976 to 1977. But by 2010, they were "best buddies," Caan said at the time. "I have no resentment. He made mistakes that affected him-and me-but he's always been there for me no matter what," Scott said.

Caan's family announced his death on July 7 in a tweet that included the actor's famous "end of tweet" catchphrase. "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6," the statement read. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time." His death certificate listed his cause of death as a heart attack and coronary artery disease. He also suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure.

Caan was a fixture in Hollywood for over six decades and earned an Oscar nomination for playing Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. Caan's other credits include Brian's Song, Misery, Elf, That's My Boy, The Yards, and Honeymoon in Vegas. Caan never stopped working, and filmed scenes for Phillip Noyce's upcoming thriller Fast Charlie before his death. As for Scott, he stars in Fox's Alert: Missing Persons Unit, which premieres on Jan. 8.

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