Treat Williams Had Just Finished Filming His Final Role Ahead of His Death
Before Treat Williams died in a tragic motorcycle crash Monday, the 71-year-old actor had wrapped filming his final role in Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, reports Deadline. In the second installment of FX's anthology series from Ryan Murphy, Williams, who was previously nominated for an Emmy for his performance in the 1996 TV movie The Late Shift, plays former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley.
Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans is an adaptation of Laurence Leamer's bestseller Capote's Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, and chronicles the story of the famous author Truman Capote and his betrayal of several of the women closest to him, including Ann Woodward, Babe Paley, CZ Guest, Gloria Guinness, Joanne Carson and Slim Keith, whom he called his "swans." In addition to Williams, the cast of Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans includes Tom Hollander, who plays Capote, Calista Flockhart, Diane Lane, Naomi Watts, Chloë Sevigny and Ella Beatty.
Following Williams' death, 20th Television and FX released a statement mourning his legacy. "Treat Williams leaves behind a legacy of remarkable performances in film and television, and an indelible mark on the entire industry," the statement reads. "All who were fortunate enough to work with Treat over his four-decade career would agree that his incredible talent was matched only by his utter kindness. He was a friend and inspiration to many, and he will be deeply missed by his colleagues. Our hearts go out to his family during this time."
Williams was killed Monday afternoon in a motorcycle crash outside of Dorset, Vermont. "He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off," the Everwood star's agent Barry McPherson told PEOPLE. McPherson went on to praise Williams as "the nicest guy" and "so talented."
The actor's family released a statement soon after, saying, "As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time. Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it. It is all so shocking right now, but please know that Treat was dearly and deeply loved and respected by his family and everyone who knew him. We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief. To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers."