<\/p>\n
John Kirby, a veteran acting coach and son of actor Bruce Kirby, died Wednesday after a three-year battle with ALS. He was 75.<\/p>\n
His longtime assistant and caregiver Nathan Nesbitt confirmed his death to The Times on Monday. <\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t turn on a television or watch a film without recognizing someone John coached, mentored or influenced,\u201d Nesbitt said in his obituary. \u201cHis fingerprints are everywhere in this industry. His impact extends far beyond the performances we see on screen \u2014 it\u2019s woven into the very fabric of Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Throughout his career, Kirby earned the nickname \u201cActor\u2019s Guardian Angel.\u201d His acting philosophy \u2014 grounded on creating a safe space for performers to approach each role without fear while protecting the artist \u2014 was used by Jeff Bridges, Jim Caviezel, Cameron Diaz, Morris Chestnut, Hilary Duff and Chrissy Metz. <\/p>\n
His extensive work with Caviezel spanned numerous films such as \u201cThe Thin Red Line\u201d (1998), \u201cAngel Eyes\u201d (2001), \u201cThe Count of Monte Cristo\u201d (2002), \u201cHigh Crimes\u201d (2002), \u201cI Am David\u201d (2003), and Mel Gibson\u2019s \u201cThe Passion of the Christ\u201d (2004).<\/p>\n
Building a career as a teacher through word of mouth, Kirby also worked on films such as \u201cThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe\u201d (2005), \u201cStick It\u201d (2006), \u201cUnderdog\u201d (2007) and \u201cProm\u201d (2011).<\/p>\n
Kirby came from a family of actors. His father, Bruce, played Sgt. George Kramer on NBC\u2019s long-running show \u201cColumbo.\u201d His brother Bruno appeared in films such as \u201cGood Morning, Vietnam\u201d (1987), \u201cWhen Harry Met Sally\u201d (1989) and \u201cCity Slickers (1991).<\/p>\n
Kirby noticed ALS symptoms in June 2022. In July 2023, he was diagnosed with the disease after breaking his hip following a fall and requiring surgery. He was given six months to live.<\/p>\n
Metz, who was coached by Kirby while filming the NBC drama \u201cThis Is Us\u201d and the 2019 film \u201cBreakthrough\u201d and continued to work with him while he battled ALS, posted a tribute to her friend and mentor on Instagram<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI will never be able to thank you enough for believing in me. I will never get over your innate sense of intuition, every single time. In your suffering, you remained a brilliant and selfless teacher who will continue to bring people together,\u201d she captioned a photo of the two.<\/p>\n A public celebration of his life will be held Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills\u2019 Hall of Liberty.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n