A Godfather of Metal: Hollywood Reacts to Ozzy Osbourne’s Passing

Ozzy Osbourne, born John Michael Osbourne on December 3, 1948, was a legendary English singer and songwriter, often hailed as the "Prince of Darkness" and the "Godfather of Heavy Metal." Sadly, he passed away at the age of 76.

Ozzy first rose to fame in the 1970s as the lead singer of Black Sabbath, a band widely regarded as the pioneers of the heavy metal genre. After an incredible run with Black Sabbath, he launched a hugely successful solo career in 1980 with his album "Blizzard of Ozz." His solo hits like "Crazy Train" and "No More Tears" solidified his place as a rock icon for decades to come.

The Osbourne family told TMZ that the rock legend died on Tuesday “surrounded by love,” although no cause of death has been revealed at this time. However, in January 2020, Osbourne revealed that he’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. At the time, he said, "It's not a death sentence."

Regardless, it will do little to shake the hold that he has on the entertainment industry. He has received a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once for Black Sabbath and once for his work as a solo artist, as he has sold over 100 million albums between the two.

In addition to founding Ozzfest, a popular touring festival for rock and metal bands, he, his wife and manager Sharon, and his children Kelly and Jack, became a household name in the early 2000s when their hit reality TV show, "The Osbournes," premiered on MTV. Despite his stage persona, he has become a beloved figure in reality TV and music history, prompting many celebrities and fans to take to social media on Tuesday to pay tribute to his rock and roll legacy.

Actor Danny Trejo was one of the first to pay tribute, telling the late legend to “Rest in Power.” He went on to say, “Today we lost one of the wildest souls to ever walk this Earth. Ozzy wasn't just The Prince of Darkness; he was pure light to those of us lucky enough to meet him. A heart bigger than any stage he ever rocked. My heart goes out to Sharon and the Kids.”

“Save me a seat backstage up there, carnal,” he added. “Love you forever.”

Rapper Ice Ttweeted, “RIP Ozzy. Right after the recent huge Black Sabbath final concert. Sad.. In my opinion, the Creators of Heavy Metal.”

Rapper and fellow reality TV star Flavor Flavtweeted, “Man,,, real heartbroken over the passing of OZZY OSBOURNE,,, we go way back and it was a real honor to watch him get inducted into the @rockhall last year. Sending my love and prayers to Sharon and his kids and whole family. RIP.”

Director Paul Feig reflected on working with Ozzy, writing, “So very sad to hear about Ozzy’s passing. I will always cherish the time I spent with him on Ghostbusters. He was such a sweet guy and so up for having fun with his persona. He was a true legend and the music world wouldn’t have been the same without him. RIP Ozzy.”

Piers Morgan shared a photo of him posing with Ozzy and his wife, Sharon, calling the late rock legend, “One of the greatest rock stars in history, and a wonderful character.” He went on to say, “Truly one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. I once asked him what was the best moment of his life, and he replied instantly: ‘Meeting Sharon.’ My heart breaks for her.”

American comedian and radio personality Jim Norton shared a photo that he took with Ozzy on X, writing, “I was truly blessed to have spent the amount of time with Ozzy that I did. He loved his fans and cared deeply about what we thought. He never took us for granted. I'm forever grateful for having known him. All of my love to Sharon, Kelly, Jack, Aimee, Louis, Elliot, and Jessica.”

"The Masked Singer" judge Jenny McCarthy also took to Instagram to share a photo with the late rocker, writing, “R IP to one of the greatest rock legends of all time @ozzyosbourne — and truly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in this business. Sending my love to his family. Rest easy, Ozzy. You did good. We will miss you."