Renowned film critic Rex Reed has died aged 87 after a short illness, with his representative confirming the news of his passing to friend William Kapfer. The writer suffered a short illness and died at his home.
A Controversial Career
Controversial film critic and author Rex Reed earned his reputation through provocative Hollywood interviews that established him as entertainment journalism's enfant terrible, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He penned film reviews and columns for the New York Observer from its launch in 1987, with his final critique examining the film Truth & Treason last November. Before that, he worked 13 years as an arts critic for the New York Daily News and five years at the New York Post.
The journalist became infamous as a relentless name-dropper and gossip merchant, frequently appearing on The Dick Cavett Show and The Tonight Show throughout the 1970s. Reed particularly relished interviewing and profiling actresses, especially Bette Davis, Myrna Loy, Angela Lansbury and Melina Mercouri. He once told Newsweek: 'The old broads are the ones that interest me the most. Nothing bores me more than these mini-skirted girls with nothing on their minds.'
On-Screen Appearances and Controversies
On screen, Reed played Myron, who transforms into Myra (Raquel Welch) following a sex-change operation in a dream sequence, in Myra Breckinridge (1970). The picture was based on Gore Vidal's salacious novel. His participation, though, didn't prevent him from delivering a scathing review of the film. He also featured in Jules Dassin's The Rehearsal (1974), as himself in Superman (1978), alongside Laurence Olivier in Inchon (1981) and with Ryan O'Neal and Shelley Long in Irreconcilable Differences (1984).
In recent years, he faced backlash for his descriptions of Melissa McCarthy, Renée Zellweger and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in his reviews. He also courted controversy at the 1993 Oscars when he claimed that presenter Jack Palance had mistakenly announced the wrong winner for best supporting actress, naming My Cousin Vinny's Marisa Tomei. Reed encountered intense criticism but maintained his version of events, describing it as a 'massive cover-up' as late as 1997.
Personal Life and Legacy
Reed remained unmarried throughout his life. 'I don't have relationships, except friends,' he told the Times in 2018. 'I don't know, love is not something that I've been really good at. I think people are intimidated by people with opinions.'
Rex Reed's death marks the end of an era in film criticism, leaving behind a legacy of sharp wit, controversial opinions, and unforgettable television moments.
