John Kirby, a veteran acting coach and son of actor Bruce Kirby, died Wednesday after a three-year battle with ALS. He was 75.
His longtime assistant and caregiver Nathan Nesbitt confirmed his death to The Times on Monday.
“I can’t turn on a television or watch a film without recognizing someone John coached, mentored or influenced,” Nesbitt said in his obituary. “His fingerprints are everywhere in this industry. His impact extends far beyond the performances we see on screen — it’s woven into the very fabric of Hollywood.”
Throughout his career, Kirby earned the nickname “Actor’s Guardian Angel.” His acting philosophy — grounded on creating a safe space for performers to approach each role without fear while protecting the artist — was used by Jeff Bridges, Jim Caviezel, Cameron Diaz, Morris Chestnut, Hilary Duff and Chrissy Metz.
His extensive work with Caviezel spanned numerous films such as “The Thin Red Line” (1998), “Angel Eyes” (2001), “The Count of Monte Cristo” (2002), “High Crimes” (2002), “I Am David” (2003), and Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” (2004).
Building a career as a teacher through word of mouth, Kirby also worked on films such as “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” (2005), “Stick It” (2006), “Underdog” (2007) and “Prom” (2011).
John Kirby was the son of “Columbo” actor Bruce Kirby.
(Nathan Nesbitt)
Kirby came from a family of actors. His father, Bruce, played Sgt. George Kramer on NBC’s long-running show “Columbo.” His brother Bruno appeared in films such as “Good Morning, Vietnam” (1987), “When Harry Met Sally” (1989) and “City Slickers (1991).
Kirby noticed ALS symptoms in June 2022. In July 2023, he was diagnosed with the disease after breaking his hip following a fall and requiring surgery. He was given six months to live.
Metz, who was coached by Kirby while filming the NBC drama “This Is Us” and the 2019 film “Breakthrough” and continued to work with him while he battled ALS, posted a tribute to her friend and mentor on Instagram.
“I will never be able to thank you enough for believing in me. I will never get over your innate sense of intuition, every single time. In your suffering, you remained a brilliant and selfless teacher who will continue to bring people together,” she captioned a photo of the two.
A public celebration of his life will be held Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills’ Hall of Liberty.
