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Julia Roberts paid a sweet tribute to her “Steel Magnolias” dad, Tom Skerritt, just one day after his death at 93.
The 58-year-old actress took to Instagram to share a photo of them during an emotional scene in the movie where Drum, played by Skerritt, just learned that Roberts’ character, Shelby Eatenton Latcherie, was expecting a baby.
“A shining light of a gentle man. RIP 💔,” she captioned the sweet moment.
Skerritt died of natural causes on Oct. 21, his family confirmed in a statement, sharing that they are “deeply saddened” and “heartbroken” by his passing.
Skerritt was not only known for his role in “Steel Magnolias,” but also for his role as Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in “Top Gun.”
“While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives,” his loved ones said in the statement on Thursday.
His family remembered his passion for “imagination, creativity, storytelling, service, veterans, the natural world, and helping others find and share their own voices.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the love and support being shown by his friends, colleagues, and fans,” their statement concluded. “We ask for privacy as our family grieves. Information regarding a memorial will be shared at a later date.”
The actor is survived by his wife, Julia Tokashiki, and his five children — Andy, Erin, Matt, Colin and Emiko — along with five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He married Tokashiki in 1998, but was previously married to Sue Oran and Charlotte Shanks.
Skerritt played multiple movie roles over the years, including Captain Arthur Dallas in the 1979 film, “Alien,” Sheriff George Bannerman in “The Dead Zone” in 1983 and Reverend MacLean in 1992’s “A River Runs Through It.”
He also appeared on numerous TV shows during his career, like “Combat!” and “Gunsmoke.”
His most recent on-screen role was in 2025, when he played Cliff in the western drama, “Broke.”