RIP Michael Parks, the Show Stealer of ‘Tusk’, ‘Red State’ and More

Michael Parks may not be a name that begs for recognition, but the man was a prolific and highly refined performer. He never limited himself in the roles he took on, and he was so diverse it’s nearly impossible to pigeonhole the man. He was amazing, and now he’s passed on to the next level of existence. Parks was 77 at the time of his death.

Perhaps known best for his outlandish characters in Red State and Tusk, Parks’ resume was actually extremely impressive. Parks starred in fan favorites From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill Vol.1 and 2, Django Unchained, We Are What We Are, Argo, Planet Terror, Death Proof and Wicked.

Parks’ cause of death is unknown at this time, but we’re already missing him.

Our condolences to Parks’ family, friends and peers. God speed, sir.

Kevin Smith posted the following to his Instagram:

I hate to report that my cinematic muse #michaelparks has passed away. Michael was, and will likely forever remain, the best actor I’ve ever known. I wrote both #RedState and @tuskthemovie FOR Parks, I loved his acting so much. He was, hands-down, the most incredible thespian I ever had the pleasure to watch perform. And Parks brought out the absolute best in me every time he got near my set. From the moment I saw him steal the opening scene of #fromdusktildawn at an advance screening at the Sunset 5 back in the mid-90’s, I said to @samosier “Could you imagine what it must be like to work with a Yoda of acting like that guy? I gotta write for him one day.” It took me 15 years but my dream came true on Red State (for which Parks won Best Actor at the @sitgesfestival) and then again years later with #tusk. Only Michael Parks could have delivered the line “Is man indeed a walrus at heart?” and make it scary as fuck. My favorite memory of Michael is watching him and #johnnydepp act with and at each other, like a couple of dueling wizards, in their shared scene in Tusk. Parks was in Heaven that day, sharing the screen with another brilliant actor and creating an unforgettable performance. He elevated any flick or TV show he was in and elevated every director he ever acted for. I was so fucking blessed to have worked with this bonafide genius. But really, I was just lucky to have known him at all. My heart goes out to James (Michael’s son), Oriana (Michael’s wife), Quentin Tarantino (Michael’s biggest fan) and any movie or music lover who was ever dazzled by the talents of Michael Parks. Farewell, old friend. I’ll see you farther along…