John Singleton, best known for being the writer and director of Boyz N’ the Hood, is in intensive care after suffering a stroke.
According to TMZ, family members of Singleton confirmed that the director checked himself into Cedars Sinai Hospital earlier in the week after experiencing weakness in his leg. Having recently flown back from Costa Rica, it is being reported that the plane flight may have triggered the medical emergency.
Now, his family have issued a further statement about the director, giving an update on his condition.
They wrote: “On Wednesday, April 17 our beloved son/father, John Singleton, suffered a stroke while at the hospital. John is currently in ICU and under great medical care.
“We ask that privacy be given to him and our family at this time and appreciate all of the prayers that have been pouring in from his fans, friends and colleagues.”
Tributes to Singleton have been pouring in on social media, including those from Snoop Dogg, Nia Long, Neil deGrasse Tyson and P.M. Dawn. You can see a selection of these here:
Hoping this talented brotha will be ok??? #TeamDL #Repost @1BrandonCarter with get_repost
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Reposted using easyrepost "ACCORDING TO #TMZ-“#JohnSingleton has suffered a… https://t.co/N4Ywe6ktJ8— DL Hughley (@RealDLHughley) April 20, 2019
Prayers up Ya'll. I just woke up & heard director John Singleton had a stroke. We still need you Sir, please fight it & bounce back.?
— P.M. Dawn (@OfficialPMDawn) April 20, 2019
Sending out love and prayers to our good pal John Singleton @SHAFT6816 – get better quickly buddy. pic.twitter.com/Mhxhjf0jPd
— Larry Karaszewski (@Karaszewski) April 20, 2019
get well king ? #JohnSingleton pic.twitter.com/c3jGXz9Huk
— Mike Colter (@realmikecolter) April 20, 2019
Praying hard this morning for my friend @johnsingleton PULL THROUGH BABY ❤️ pic.twitter.com/neYNnRFmX4
— Nia Long (@NiaLong) April 20, 2019
Wishing Director John Singleton (age 51) a speedy recovery from his stroke.
An occasion, perhaps, for the rest of us to be amazed that human physiology works at all. pic.twitter.com/x4H1iFjvZG
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) April 20, 2019
Get well, John Singleton! Such a generous spirit- pic.twitter.com/fgm7gTjLSG
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) April 20, 2019
My prayers for the great John Singleton—
Come back to the hood John—you’re the man— William Friedkin (@WilliamFriedkin) April 20, 2019
Best known for writing and directing Boyz N’ the Hood, Singleton was nominated for two Oscars – Best Director and Best Original Screenplay – for his work on it, making him the youngest filmmaker to be nominated in those categories.
A tale of gangs in South Central Los Angeles, the movie marked the acting debuts of Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut, and it also starred Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Nia Long, Regina King and Angela Bassett.
He also received two Emmy nominations in 2017 for helming The People v. O.J. Simpson and documentary L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later.
His other credits include Four Brothers, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Shaft, Poetic Justice, in which he directed 2Pac and Janet Jackson, and he even directed the music video for Michael Jackson’s ‘Remember the Time’.