James Caan, The Godfather and Misery star, dies at 82

James Caan, the legendary actor best known for his Oscar-nominated role in The Godfather, has died. He was 82.

Caan's death was confirmed Thursday on his official Twitter account. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time," a statement said. A cause of death was not disclosed.

Caan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1973 for his performance as Sonny Corleone, eldest son of Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone, in The Godfather, and he briefly returned for The Godfather Part II. Some of his other most memorable films include Misery, Brian's Song, Rollerball, and Elf, and on the television side, he starred on the NBC dramedy Las Vegas. He continued to act in recent years, including in 2021's Queen Bees

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Caan reflected on his career in an appearance on CBS This Morning in 2021, saying he was "frustrated" he wasn't getting better roles anymore and wanted to continue working. "I'd love to do a real character thing," he said, adding, "I can't take it easy! To me, I enjoy working. I love to work with good people. I have more fun when I'm working, and I have a lot of laughs. And I get respect, too, sometimes."

Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in Misery, said he "loved working" with the actor, while Adam Sandler said he was "so happy" he got to know him. "Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man," Sandler added.