Hollywood is currently mourning the loss of Inside the Actors Studio host James Lipton, who died on Monday at the age of 93. Following the news of his passing, Lipton’s wife, Kedakai Mercedes Lipton, issued a statement in which she expressed some incredibly touching words about her late husband, per The Hollywood Reporter.
“He lived each day as if it were his last,” Kedakai said in a statement to THR. “His work was his passion, loved what he did and all the people he worked with. He empowered people to do their best, and hopefully his spirit, curiosity and passion will live on.”
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Lipton’s wife previously confirmed the news of her husband’s passing to TMZ. She told the publication that Lipton had passed after a battle with bladder cancer.
“There are so many James Lipton stories but I’m sure he would like to be remembered as someone who loved what he did and had tremendous respect for all the people he worked with,” she told TMZ.
Lipton was best known for his work on Inside the Actors Studio, which he helmed from 1994 to 2018. During his time on the show, he interviewed some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry such as Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Brad Pitt, and Eddie Murphy amongst many others.
In light of his passing, Lipton has been fondly remembered by several figures in the entertainment industry.
“James Lipton was a titan of the film and entertainment industry and had a profound influence on so many,” Frances Berwick, president of NBCU Lifestyle Networks and home to Bravo, said in a statement that was released shortly after Lipton’s passing, per THR. “I had the pleasure of working with Jim for 20 years on Bravo’s first original series, his pride and joy Inside the Actors Studio. We all enjoyed and respected his fierce passion, contributions to the craft, comprehensive research and his ability to bring the most intimate interviews ever conducted with A-list actors across generations. Bravo and NBCUniversal send our deepest condolences to Jim’s wife, Kedakai, and all of his family.”
On Twitter, Bravo host Andy Cohen also acknowledged Lipton’s passing with a lovely tribute.
“#JamesLipton was a warm, meticulous man with a great appreciation of the arts and wicked sense of humor,” Cohen wrote. “He was the face of Bravo who delivered us one-of-a-kind interviews with a breadth of superstars. He was always so kind to me…”
“when he found out how much I love Diana Ross, he insisted on taking me to see her in concert,” he continued to recount. “He really cared about what he did. If you got booked on his show, it meant you’d made it, and had the talent to back it up. What a good guy. James Lipton will be missed.”
