Beloved actor and comedian John Witherspoon, who kept audiences laughing for decades in such classics like Friday, The Boondocks, and The Five Heartbeats, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 29, 2019, at the age of 77, the Associated Press reports. At the time of this writing, no official cause of death has been made public.

“It is with deepest sorrow that we can confirm our beloved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one of the hardest working men in show business, died today at his home in Sherman Oaks at the age of 77,” Witherspoon’s family released in a statement to Deadline. “He is survived by his wife Angela, and his sons JD, Alexander, and a large family. We are all in shock, please give us a minute for a moment in privacy and we will celebrate his life and his work together. John used to say ‘I’m no big deal’, but he was huge deal to us.”

The news of Witherspoon’s passing spread quickly over social media, and many who knew him best rushed to remember and pay tribute to a genuine comedy icon. Here are a few of the celebrity reactions to the death of John Witherspoon.