Carol Burnett And Luke Evans Lead Poignant Tributes To Tim Curry After His Death At 80

It's been a terrible week for the entertainment industry, for performers and viewers alike. Right after the world lost Dolly Parton, we lost the great Tim Curry, also at the age of 80.

The British star got his acting start on stage in the West End, starring in the original London production of Hair in 1968. He was a phenomenal performer and went on to become everyone's favorite love-to-hate villain, from Frank-N-Furter in Rocky Horror Picture Show to Rooster Hannigan in Annie to Pennywise the Dancing Clown in It to Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island.

Some of his many, many roles helped shape Gen-Xers and Millennials, potentially unbeknownst to them, including those in FernGully: The Last Rainforest and The Wild Thornberrys, as well as his quirky, hilarious roles in Clue and Home Alone 2.

Fans everywhere were heartbroken.

@officialtimcurry/Instagram

@officialtimcurry/Instagram

@officialtimcurry/Instagram

@officialtimcurry/Instagram

@officialtimcurry/Instagram

Heartfelt tributes began to pour in on social media, as celebrities shared their experiences meeting him and working with him.

Leading the tributes was none other than Carol Burnett, who costarred with Curry in Annie.

"We had such a wonderful time working together on 'Annie.' Nobody could play lovable villains better than he could."

"He was a dear friend. I was blessed to know him."

Next, Luke Evans, who took on the role of Frank-N-Furter in the Rocky Horror Picture Show reboot on Broadway.

He shared an iconic photo of Curry in his full Frank-N-Furter look, as well as a photo of himself on the stage, and the letter he'd written to Curry during his time on Broadway.

Evans wrote:

"He was a force, a bright fierce flame, an exquisite charm and that rich vocal tone, he was an inspiration to me and so many more people for the roles he played and the effect he had on so many of us."

"There will only be one Tim Curry."

In the letter he sent Tim Curry, Evans wrote:

"Dear Tim, With only three weeks left before I finally hang up the fishnets and heels, I wanted to send you a note."

"Although we've never met, you've been part of this journey from the very beginning. Every actor who puts on Frank inevitably walks into a conversation that started with you, and I've felt that every single night."

"Being compared to you has been one of the greatest compliments I've ever received, even though it's a comparison no one could ever hope to live up to."

"There is, and always will be, only one Tim Curry."

"I've never tried to recreate what you did. That would be impossible. I simply hoped to honor the extraordinary character you brought to life, while finding my own way through him."

"As this chapter comes to an end, I just wanted to say thank you."

"For your fearless performance, for creating something so enduring, and for inspiring generations of actors to be a little braver than they thought they could be."

"I hope, wherever you are, you'd approve of one more Frank having the time of his life in those heels."

"With enormous admiration, Luke."

Lesley Ann Warren, who costarred in Clue with Curry, was struck by the loss of "a wild and inspired soul."

"My dear companion in crime, the brilliant, hilarious, hysterically funny magician of artistry has left us."

"What an unbelievable joy to have shared a sound stage with him and to engage with such a master talent."

"I adored him. Bless his wild and inspired soul."

And Jim Hensen's The Muppets crew confirmed the status everyone already knew Curry was worthy of: honorary Muppet.

There's a saying that circles around from time to time, comparing Muppet Treasure Island and Muppet Christmas Carol, which claims that Michael Caine viewed the Muppets around him as fellow actors, while Tim Curry viewed and embodied himself as a fellow Muppet.

The Muppets crew said of Curry:

"Few humans have earned the title of honorary Muppet more than the legendary Tim Curry."

"As a performer, he was unparalleled: witty, charming, unnerving, and deeply funny. We will always consider it one of our greatest treasures to have been part of Long John Silver’s crew."

"Thank you for everything, Tim."

Linus O'Brien and his father, Richard O'Brien, both involved in Rocky Horror Picture Show, spoke to the magic and potential they saw in Tim Curry early in his career, expectations he expertly surpassed.

"Tim Curry was a wonderful man by nature who was also a wonderful performer and understood the difference between such delightful achievements."

"He never sought attention and never put himself before the roles that he played."

"He was, in short, a good egg and class act. It was both a privilege and delight to have known him and worked with him."

"Rest in peace, dear Tim."

Finally, Instagrammer Lola C said what all of the weird and strange kids who felt like Tim Curry raised them were thinking.

"There are some celebrity deaths that feel strangely personal, and Tim Curry is one of them."

"He showed me that being different could be beautiful."

"And what a career he gave us: Frank-N-Furter, Wadsworth, the Lord of Darkness, Pennywise, Rooster, Captain Hook, Long John Silver, Nigel Thornberry, and so many more."

"But his legacy, to me, is bigger than any role. He gave so many of us permission to be weird, theatrical, fearless, and unapologetically ourselves."

"Thank you, Tim Curry, for helping me find a part of myself I didn't even know I was looking for."

"Rest in power, you magnificent, beautiful creature."

"My heart is f**king broken."

Whether he's going home with Frank-N-Furter or finally making it to "space!," Curry's impressive legacy lives on. No Time Warp can stop it.

Truly, Luke Evans said it best: there will only ever be one Tim Curry.