Richard Glatzer, Director of ‘Still Alice’, Dies in

Richard Glatzer, the writer and director of the Oscar-winning movie Still Alice, has died ahed 63. Glatzer, who worked on the film despite suffering the debilitating effects of ALS, passed away in Los Angeles on Tuesday (March 10).

Richard GlatzerRichard Glatzer [center] directed and wrote the Oscar winning movie Still Alice

His death comes less than three weeks after Julianne Moore won the Oscar for Best Actress for a stunning part written by Glatzer and his husband Wash Westmoreland. Moore played a successful professor whose life begins to unravel after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Glatzer was taken by ambulance to a Los Angeles hospital two days before the Oscars ceremony with respiratory problems and he and Westmoreland had planned to watch the telecast from there.

More: Still Alice: now you can see why Julianne Moore won an Oscar

The pair began adapting Lisa Genova’s novel in 2011, shortly after Glatzer was diagnosed with ALS. Despite his condition rapidly deteriorated, he never missed a day of filming on the movie, which co-starred Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart and Kate Bosworth.

Glatzer communicated by tapping his big toe on a specially designed iPad.

“I am devastated,” Westmoreland said Tuesday in a statement. “Rich was my soulmate, my collaborator, my best friend and my life. Seeing him battle ALS for four years with such grace and courage inspired me and all who knew him.

“In this dark time, I take some consolation in the fact that he got to see Still Alice go out into the world. He put his heart and soul into that film, and the fact that it touched so many people was a constant joy to him.

“Thank you to everyone for this huge outpouring of love. Richard was a unique guy – opinionated, funny, caring, gregarious, generous and so, so smart. A true artist and a brilliant man. I treasure every day of the short 20 years we had together.

“I cannot believe he has gone. But in my heart and the hearts of those who loved him, he will always be alive.”

Glazter and Westmoreland made their debut as filmmakers with Quinceanera (2006), which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. They also worked together on The Last of Robin Hood (2013) and The Fluffer (2001).

More: Sony Oscars targetted Still Alice leaks after hack

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