Alan Arkin in 2006’sLittle Miss Sunshine(L) and after winning the Oscar in 2007.Photo:Fox Searchlight/Everett, Billy Farrell/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Fox Searchlight/Everett, Billy Farrell/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Alan Arkindidn’t need a lot of time to show off his acting chops.
The longtime actor,whose death PEOPLE confirmedFriday, won his first and onlyAcademy Award(out of what would be a total of four nominations) back in 2007 for his role inLittle Miss Sunshine, in which he played Edwin Hoover, the grandfather of the dysfunctional family the story follows.
Arkin was onscreen for only 14 minutes of the 2006 family road-trip dramedy, which also starredGreg Kinnear,Steve Carell,Toni Collette,Paul DanoandAbigail Breslin, the latter of whom also earned an Oscar nomination for her role, at just 10 years old.
The film revolves around young Olive (Breslin, now 27), a girl with big dreams whose quirky family embarks on a cross-county road trip so she can compete in a beauty pageant.
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Alan Arkin, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear inLittle Miss Sunshine(2006).Eric Lee/20th Century Fox/Fox Searchlight/Kobal/Shutterstock
Eric Lee/20th Century Fox/Fox Searchlight/Kobal/Shutterstock
“Acting for me has always been and always will be a team sport,” he added. “I cannot work at all unless I feel a spirit of unity around me. Somy main sense of gratitudegoes to the entire cast and crew and production team ofLittle Miss Sunshinefor creating the same sense of joy and trust and community that the film speaks about.”
Arkin’s win was considered somewhat surprising at the time, asEddie Murphywas considered a favorite for the Oscar for his role inDreamgirlsafter taking home both theGolden GlobeandSAG Awardearlier that year. (Murphy, 62, famously walked out of the awards ceremony as soon as Arkin’s name was announced, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.)
Reflecting onLittle Miss Sunshine15 years later, Breslin recently toldYahoo! Entertainment, “It was such an incredible film to be a part of, and I don’t think anyone expected it to become as successful as it was.”
“It was obviously a film that gave me a lot of opportunities and opened a lot of doors for me, so it’s crazy to think it’s already been 15 years, but I have amazing memories from that whole experience,” the actress added.
Alan Arkin at the 26th SAG Awards on Jan. 19, 2020.John Shearer/Getty for PEOPLE
On Friday, PEOPLE exclusivelyconfirmed Arkin had diedvia his three sonsAdam, Matthew and Anthony, who jointly offered a statement on the family’s behalf.
“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed,” they said.
source: people.com
