Cher has led the names paying tribute to Paul Reubens following his death at the age of 70.
The actor, best known for his character Pee-wee Herman, died on Sunday, with a statement on his official social media pages confirming the sad news.
Hollywood was in mourning in the wake of the announcement, with Cher leading heartbroken messages to the late star.
In a new post on Twitter, the Believe musician penned: ‘Goodbye Paul. Goodnight sweet prince. May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest. Hamlet. William Shakespeare.’
Jimmy Kimmel posted: ‘Paul Reubens was like no one else – a brilliant and original comedian who made kids and their parents laugh at the same time.
‘He never forgot a birthday and shared his genuine delight for silliness with everyone he met. My family and I will miss him.’
Conan O’Brien agreed: ‘No tweet can capture the magic, generosity, artistry, and devout silliness of Paul Reubens.
‘Everyone I know received countless nonsensical memes from Paul on their birthday, and I mean EVERYONE.
‘His surreal comedy and unrelenting kindness were a gift to us all. Damn, this hurts.’
Orange Is The New Black actress Natasha Lyonne wrote: ‘Love you so much, Paul. One in all time. Thank you for my career & your forever friendship all these years & for teaching us what a true original is. #PaulReubens #PeeWeeHerman.’
Paul Feig penned: ‘This is devastating. Truly heartbreaking. Paul was such a comedy genius. From his Letterman appearances to his TV shows and movies, he was so original and hilarious. And such a sweet man too.
‘This is a huge loss for comedy. Thanks for all the laughs, Paul.’
In the comments below Reubens’ latest Instagram post confirming his death, Andy Cohen penned: ‘The greatest. No one ever like him ever.’
Dita Von Teese said: ‘Heart is broken. I’ll miss the birthday videos and our trips to Super Walgreens. What a wonderful man he was.’
Ricki Lake posted: ‘I. Am. devastated. Paul was my friend for decades. I can’t believe it. Almost nothing was more enjoyable than a meal with Paul. Rest in peace, my sweet friend.’
Judd Apatow agreed: ‘This is devastating news. We got to spend many years working with Paul on Pee Wee’s Big Holiday and got to see his genius and kindness up close.
‘He made the world so happy! Some of the biggest laughs I have every experienced was watching him perform live. He is irreplaceable.’
Norman Reedus simply added: ‘Paul was great. Really gonna miss him.’
New York-born Reubens began his career in the 1970s, before going on to launch the Pee-wee Herman Show in 1980.
The role shot the actor to superstardom and his show quickly sold out for months on end.
He took the character onto the big screen in 1985 classic film, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which became a huge success with fans.
The movie followed Pee-wee embarking on the quest of a lifetime after his bike was stolen.
As well as the iconic role, Reubens appeared in Batman Returns, the Nightmare Before Christmas, Matilda, Dunston Checks In and Blow.
His TV credits included 30 Rock, The Blacklist, Mosaic, Bob’s Burgers, American Dad and The Conners.
Reubens released a posthumous statement on social media earlier today, revealing that he had been diagnosed with cancer, but chose not to share his condition publicly.
‘Please accept my apology for not going public with what I’ve been facing the last six years,’ the message read.
‘I have always felt a huge amount of love and respect from my friends, fans and supporters. I have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you.’
‘Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,’ the statement continued.
‘Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit.
‘A gifted and prolific talent, he will forever live in the comedy pantheon and in our hearts as a treasured friend and man of remarkable character and generosity of spirit.’
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