John Singleton’s family confirmed the iconic filmmaker’s stroke to E! News on Saturday:
“On Wednesday, April 17th our beloved son/father, John Singleton, suffered a stroke while at the hospital,” they said in a statement to E! News. “John is currently in the ICU and under great medical care. We ask that privacy be given to him and our family at this time and appreciate all of the prayers that have been pouring in from his fans, friends and colleagues.”
Sources told Variety that the 51-year-old checked into a hospital after complaining of leg pain. Doctors have allegedly categorized Singleton’s stroke as “mild.”
According to TMZ, a family member said Singleton had just flown back to the United States from Costa Rica; the concern is that the stroke may be related to that flight. The outlet said doctors are performing tests to determine the next stages of treatment.
In the meantime, an outpouring of prayer and support has come from across the Hollywood community:
In addition to his seminal work on the 1991 classic Boyz n the Hood, Singleton also directed Poetic Justice, Higher Learning, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” music video and episodes of popular shows like Empire, Billions, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and Snowfall.
Correction: Sept. 21, 2019, 5:12 p.m. ET: This story has been edited to remove unattributed text.