Norman Lear (left) and Jesse Williams.Photo:Allen Berezovsky/WireImage
Allen Berezovsky/WireImage
Jesse Williamsis rememberingNorman Learfor his work beyond television.
“Norman Lear, a gentle man of action who carved trails in culture and consciousness early and often. A soul I came to know, debate and learn from at a turning point in both our lives,” he captioned a series of selfies, group photos and headlines breaking news about their collaborations and public defenses.
One headline highlighted a time where Lear publicly rallied to Williams' side afterGrey’s Anatomyfans called for apetition to remove him from the show.
After the actor made passionate remarks on racial injustice during his2016 BET Awards acceptance speech, a Change.org user organizeda petitionclaiming that the actor delivered a “racist hate speech against law enforcement and white people.”
In response to the allegations, Lear toldIndieWireat the time, “I’ve seen and attended a ton of awards shows in my time, and no one has ever put his soul and his ass on the line so fully and so truthfully as Jesse Williams did at the BET Awards last week.”
Jesse Williams accepting his award at the 2016 BET Awards.
“Wither thou goest, Mr. Williams, I will follow,” he concluded.
Lear later createdAmerica Divided, a docuseries starring Williams that followed celebrities as they explored how inequalities in race, housing, education, healthcare and more had affected their lives.
Norman Lear.Eric McCandless via Getty
Eric McCandless via Getty
On Tuesday, Dec. 5, Leardied in his Los Angeles homeof natural causes, according to a release from his representatives. He was 101.
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“Norman lived a life in awe of the world around him. He marveled at his cup of coffee every morning, the shape of the tree outside his window, and the sounds of beautiful music. But it was people—those he just met and those he knew for decades—who kept his mind and heart forever young,” the caption read. “As we celebrate his legacy and reflect on the next chapter of life without him, we would like to thank everyone for all the love and support.”
source: people.com
