Viola Davis also spoke to the inspiration the Royal Tenenbaums star had provided throughout his career.

“Loved you in everything,” she captioned an Instagram tribute to Gene. “The Conversation, The French Connection, The Poseidon Adventure, Unforgiven—tough yet vulnerable. You were one of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir.”

For his own part, Gene—who had been living quietly out of the spotlight with Betsy in recent years—was among the first to keep himself humble, despite the illustrious career he led.

“If you look at yourself as a star you've already lost something in the portrayal of any human being,” he told The New York Times in 1989. “I need to keep myself on the edge and keep as pure as possible. You need something to bring you down to a sense of who you are and who you're portraying. You need to remember you're not a movie star and that you shouldn't be too happy.”

He added, “You should never take anything for granted.”

Keep reading for a look at Gene’s life in photos.