“Golden Girls” star Betty White, one of the most beloved actors of all time, died Friday just a few weeks short of her 100th birthday. Upon the news of her passing, her admirers reflected on everything that made her such a cherished icon. “Who didn’t love Betty White? We’re so sad,” first lady Jill Biden told reporters. President Joe Biden added: “We just love Betty White.”Wendie Malick, who co-starred with White in the TV Land sitcom “Hot in Cleveland,” told Rolling Stone Friday that “every person who ever met Betty will be forever touched and inspired by her. I cannot credit anyone more than Betty for giving me a sense of purpose and joy about my third act.”Ryan Reynolds, who starred alongside White in the 2009 film “The Proposal,” summarized how many felt about the acting legend, tweeting: “She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough.”The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret. pic.twitter.com/uevwerjobS— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 31, 2021
Comedian Kathy Griffin shared a series of tweets remembering the friendship they struck up after meeting on the set of the NBC sitcom “Suddenly Susan” in the late 1990s. Once, Griffin recounted, White agreed to appear on her show “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List” and spend the day with Griffin’s mother.“She was as sharp and funny as she was soft and wise, and no matter how long this world continues to spin, there will be only one Betty White,” Griffin said in her tribute.“Late Night” host and “Saturday Night Live” alum Seth Meyers said White was the only SNL host he ever saw receive a standing ovation at the after-party, “at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end.”This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.