Like so many others in the entertainment industry, Will Smith is in mourning today over the death of Prince.
Unlike so many others, however, Smith has a personal reason to being especially stunned over the passing of this musical legend.
The actor had literally just spoken to Prince prior to his death.
“I am stunned and heartbroken. I just spoke with him last night,” Smith wrote in a Facebook post yesterday, adding:
Today, Jada & I mourn with all of you the loss of a beautiful poet, a true inspiration, and one of the most magnificent artists to ever grace this earth.”
Earlier Thursday morning, around 9:45 local time, the Minneapolis native – who earned seven Grammy Awards and one Academy Award over the course of an iconic career – was found unresponsive in the elevator of his Paisley Park home and studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
He was 57 years old.
Tributes and messages of condolences have been pouring in ever since, from all corners of Hollywood.
You should really read what Justin Timberlake had to say.
It will help you gain a grasp on just how influential Prince has been to countless musicians of this era.
Will’s wife, meanwhile, also honored Prince on her Facebook page Thursday. Here’s a look at what Jada Pinkett Smith wrote about the legendary artist:
Prince was one of the first artists to put me on game in regard to the industry. He was not only a genius artist, he was kind, funny, beautifully eccentric, curious, imaginative, magical, spiritual, rebellious and extremely intelligent.
He showed me early the power of living one’s life by one’s own rules and no one else’s. There are really no words to express what we have all lost today. To quote my friend Paress, “Music has lost its heart beat.”
Rest in peace Beauty…
Officials are yet to establish a cause of death.
All we know at the moment is that an airplane carrying Prince as a passenger was forced to make an emergency landing on April 15 because the singer fell ill.
There’s been talk this was the result of a drug overdose, but that rumor has not been confirmed.
Prince felt well enough to leave the hospital after a few hours and even appear on stage the next day.
He also apparently felt well enough to talk on the phone with Smith on Wednesday night, as if everything was totally fine and normal.
It’s just so very sad.