The Hollywood community reacted in grief and horror to news of the apparent murder of veteran publicist Ronni Chasen, a familiar figure at industry events throughout the awards season and a tireless advocate for the movie industry.
Comments and tributes poured into TheWrap from longtime colleagues, clients and friends.
Many expressed fear at the apparent randomness of the attack, coming as the awards season and its near-nightly social activities in all reaches of the city.
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Morgan Freeman sent the following statement to TheWrap: “I had the extreme pleasure of working with Ronnie on "Driving Miss Daisy." We've been friends ever since. She is someone I greatly admired and she will be remembered.”
"I am deeply saddened by the news of Ronni’s unexpected passing. Ronni Chasen is a legend in this industry, and I feel honored to have had the opportunity to work with her. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and her team at Chasen & Company," said Rich Ross, chairman of the Walt Disney Studios.
"Ronni was a dear friend and cherished member of our community," Sony chairman Amy Pascal wrote TheWrap. "She was at our premiere last night and so full of her trademark energy and love of life. We are heartbroken, shocked and completely devastated."
Joe Roth, a client and friend, wrote this to TheWrap: "I"m shocked. She was my friend for 35 years. Ronni was a dogged champion of movies and we all will feel her loss. It's inconceivable, actually."
"All of us in personal publicity are devastated by this tragic loss,” wrote Kelly Bush, the CEO of Id-pr. “Ronni was a terrific publicist, blazing a trail for women in this business, like few others. I greatly admired and respected her. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and staff."
“Ronni Chasen was a press agent extraordinaire,” said longtime publicist Vivian Mayer. “She never called herself a publicist. She was everyone’s best friend, and my mentor, my sister. She loved the entertainment business."
PMK principal Heidi Schaeffer had just returned from holidays in Europe with Chasen.
"It's incomprehensible," she wrote. "I've lost a dear friend and our industry has lost a true original. Although short in stature she was a giant among us. I had just gone with Ronni to Paris and then on to the film festival in Ghent, which she so proudly represented. She always told me what a marvelous festival it was, and that was no exaggeration."
Schaeffer said they saw Chasen's client, screenwriter Ronald Harwood and old friends Yanou Collart, Beatrice Wachsberger and Dany Jucaud.
"In Ghent we celebrated her birthday at a beautiful gathering and she spent time with another client she was nuts about - Elliot Goldenthal. The photos are in an album I made for her - but hadn't given to her yet.
