Melanie Lynskey Recalls Julian Sands' 'Many Presents' & 'Kindness' In Touching Tribute

Melanie Lynskey remembers Julian Sands as "one of the kindest people" she's ever met.

In her touching recollection, she reminisced about his thoughtful gestures and acts of kindness, highlighting his lasting impact on her. The late actor, who had gone missing in January during a hiking expedition on California's Mount Baldy, was recently officially declared deceased.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the 46-year-old reminisced about their first encounter, acknowledging the 65-year-old's breakthrough performance in the 1985 acclaimed film "A Room with a View."  Accompanied by a charming sepia-tone photo of the two of them dancing, Lynskey wrote:

"Julian Sands. I met you on the set of Rose Red in 2000. A Room With A View was a movie I had seen dozens of times, and I adored you in it. I was so nervous I could barely speak to you. When I did finally tell you what the movie/you meant to me, I was struck by your humility, your lack of ego, the absence of any grandstanding."

The "Heavenly Creatures" noted that their friendship quickly blossomed, with the "Warlock" actor showering her with numerous presents, including "huge and intimidating non-fiction books and classical music CDs." 

Lynskey revealed that Sands even took her to the opera after discovering she had never been before, recalling other memorable times like introducing him to Dr. Dre's "2001" album and agonizing over a choice between Billy Bragg and Bright Eyes concerts. In conclusion to her heartfelt note, she penned:

"You were gracious and patient and tons of fun. We lost touch, but I have never forgotten your kindness, and I will never forget you. My heart goes out to your family and loved ones. ❤️."

Her memories struck an emotional chord with readers who expressed thoughts like, "This made me cry. What special memories." One person also regarded it as "the type of tribute everyone hopes for."

Another commenter emotionally stated, "🥺🥺🥺 this brought me to tears, @msmelanielynskey He seemed like such a beautiful human! 💓." A fourth described her tribute as a "Beautifully written post, beautiful picture, and such sad news 😢." 

On Tuesday, the San Fernando Sheriff's Department confirmed that the remains discovered by hikers near Mount Baldy belonged to the "Blood and Bone" star." The official statement read:

"The identification process for the body located on Mt. Baldy on June 24, 2023, has been completed, and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood. The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results." 

They also expressed gratitude towards the volunteers who dedicated their efforts to finding the "Heidi 4 Paws" voice actor.

During an appearance on Josh Horowitz's "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, she confessed that sustaining friendships with fellow actors is more complex than anticipated.

Lynskey shared that she had collaborated with two notable actors who made the decision not to continue their friendship for various reasons, which had a profound impact on her. The mother-of-one recalled:

"I did this movie with this actor, and when we were finished, I said, 'Oh my gosh, I'm just so happy that I met you and we have this friendship,' and she said, 'Yeah, I'm not friends with actors. I don't stay friends with actors.'"

The revelation from the unnamed actor left her taken aback. After spending weeks forming an emotional bond on set, she believed that a genuine friendship was developing. "And I was like, 'What?' I was so shocked by it," Lynskey shared with Horowitz before referring to the person's identity as "someone who had been working longer than me." 

The actress asserted that this was not the first time she had experienced the disappointment of a lost friendship, revealing that she was once incredibly close with Kate Winslet — her co-star in the murder mystery film "Heavenly Creatures." The "Candy" star noted:

"When I lost touch with Kate, it was more heartbreaking than some breakups I've had. It was so painful, and there wasn't any particular incident; it's just that she became this enormous, internationally acclaimed movie star, and her schedule became incredibly demanding. Suddenly, she would be in Los Angeles but not have the time to connect."

The women harbor no ill will towards each other, with Lynskey acknowledging that their loss of contact happened gradually.