Saying goodbye. Celebrities paid tribute to Anne Heche after the actress’ death at age 53 following the car crash that left her comatose.
Us Weekly confirmed on Friday, August 12, that the former All Rise star was declared legally dead after falling into a coma following the accident one week prior. She was taken off life support two days later after matches were found for organ donations, per Heche’s last wishes.
James Gunn was quick to sing the late star’s praises on Friday, calling Heche’s role in Proof the “best acting performance I’ve ever seen” in a Twitter tribute. Kyle Richards was among many other celebrities who sent love to the Brave alum’s family amid the tragedy via social media.
Heche crashed her car into a home in Los Angeles on August 5, sustaining severe burns after her vehicle was engulfed in flames. A rep for the Volcano actress initially told Us that the Ohio native was in stable condition after the incident, but things later took a turn for the worse.
“At this time she is in extreme critical condition. She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” the representative explained on August 8. “She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”
Three days later, the spokesperson announced that Heche would likely not recover from her injuries. “Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition,” the rep told Us, noting that the Men in Trees alum had “long” wanted to be an organ donor. “She is not expected to survive.”
The rep added of the star’s legacy: “Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit. More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work — especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love. She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light.”
After the accident, Heche’s ex-boyfriend James Tupper asked fans to share their “thoughts and prayers” for the Daytime Emmy winner. The Wag the Dog actress and the Revenge alum, who dated for more than a decade before their 2018 split, shared son Atlas, who was born in March 2009. The Cedar Rapids star also shared son Homer (born in March 2002) with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon.
Thomas Jane, who dated Heche from 2019 to 2020, also sent well-wishes to the actress following the accident. “While Anne and I are no longer an item, today’s tragic news was devastating to me and to all who love her,” the Deep Blue Sea actor, who starred alongside Heche in the HBO series Hung, told the Daily Mail on August 6. “My heart goes out to Anne and her two sons. … My thoughts and prayers are with Anne, one of the true talents of her generation.”
Alec Baldwin, who starred on Broadway with Heche in a 2004 production of the play Twentieth Century, also honored his former costar via social media. “Hey, I just wanted to send out my best wishes and all my love to Anne Heche,” the 30 Rock alum said in an Instagram video posted on August 6. “Anne is an old pal of mine and I did a movie with her — a very ‘90s thriller called The Juror with Demi Moore, [who] was the star of the film.”
The Emmy winner went on to praise the “amazingly talented” actress and offer his “love and support” to her friends and family. “There’s not a lot of women [who] I’ve worked with that are brave in the way that Anne is brave,” Baldwin continued. “I mean, Anne was really, really … she would do anything [and] she was very original and very brave.”
Keep scrolling for more celebrity tributes to Heche following her death:
