Legendary actor and director Ron Howard, 71, paid a heartfelt tribute to the real-life hero behind his Oscar-winning film Apollo 13, following the death of astronaut James “Jim” Lovell on August 7, 2025, at the age of 97.
In the emotional Instagram post, Howard, who directed the 1995 about Lovell's saga, celebrated the astronaut's “intellect, courage and commitment to duty.”
“Simply knowing Jim has been a tremendous honor,” he wrote. "His support of our movie-making efforts inspired authenticity and elevated our process in so many ways.Thank you, sir, for your service to our country and to humankind."
The news of Lovell’s death was announced by NASA itself, which also reflected on the hero’s many achievements. “From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond,” acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy wrote.
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“As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach,” he continued. “As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions.” In addition, Lovell served in the Navy and was “known for his wit.”
Actor Tom Hanks, who played Lovell in the infamous film, also shared a tribute to the hero. Reflecting on Lovell’s fearlessness and bravery, Hanks wrote, “There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell… was that kind of guy.”
The actor, who spent time with the astronaut 30 years ago while working on the 1995 film, praised Lovell’s extraordinary space career, noting, “His many voyages around Earth and on to so-very-close to the moon were not made for riches or celebrity, but because such challenges as those are what fuels the course of being alive.”
“On this night of a full Moon, he passes on – to the heavens, to the cosmos, to the stars,” Hanks concluded. “God speed you, on this next voyage, Jim Lovell.”
To honor Lovell’s legacy and the film’s enduring impact, the 30th anniversary re-release of Apollo 13 will begin in IMAX theaters on September 19, 2025.
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