Nora Ephron: Celebs, Hollywood react to her death

Celebrities and filmmakers are mourning the death of prolific writer, director and journalist Nora Ephron, who passed away Tuesday in New York City.

Responsible for hits such as “Sleepless in Seattle,” “When Harry Met Sally...” and “Julie & Julia,” Ephron was known for her wry, insightful and distinctly female work.

“Nora Ephron was a journalist/artist who knew what was important to know; how things really worked, what was worthwhile, who was fascinating and why,” Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson said in a touching joint statement to the Ministry.

PHOTOS: Stars react to death of Nora Ephron

“At a dinner table and on a film set she lifted us all with wisdom and wit mixed with love for us and love for life. Rita and I are so very sad to lose our friend who brought so much joy to all who were lucky enough to know her,” Hanks added.

Nicole Kidman, who starred in Ephron’s 2005 big screen update of “Bewitched,” said her fondest memories of Ephron were of enjoying another of the writer’s life passions: food and cooking.

“I will never forget the dinners, games and laughter we all shared,” Kidman said, adding she was “grateful that she was my friend and we had the opportunity to work together.”

PHOTOS: Nora Ephron | Life in Pictures

Billy Crystal, who starred opposite Meg Ryan in “When Harry Met Sally...” called Ephron “a brilliant writer and humorist.”

“Being her Harry to Meg’s Sally will always have a special place in my heart. I was very lucky to get to say her words,” Crystal said.

It’s not only the film community missing one of its own -- Nora was a definitive New Yorker, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

“The loss of Nora Ephron is a devastating one for New York City’s arts and cultural community.... Nora always loved a good New York story, and she could tell them like no one else,” he said.

Ephron was undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukemia and pneumonia at New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she died, friend and Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen said.

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