The world lost one of its brightest shining stars earlier this week, and millions are mourning the loss of Alan Thicke. He was a beloved father to three biological children but a de facto father to millions thanks to his star role on Growing Pains. Since Alan passed away on Tuesday I’ve heard several people remark something to the effect of ‘I feel like my childhood just died’ because his role on Growing Pains had that effect.
Some people might not remember, but one of Leonardo DiCaprio‘s first acting roles was on Growing Pains all the way back in 1991. Leo appeared in 23 episodes of Growing Pains between 1991 and 1992, and yesterday he took to Facebook to share his feelings on the untimely loss of Alan Thicke:
Alan was a devoted father, husband, friend and role model. He knew how to harness the power of the entertainment industry to be a positive influence in so many lives – including mine. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Alan early in my career. He had tremendous class, a huge heart, and he taught me and so many others the valuable lessons about humility and gratitude. I’ve seen him a number of times over the years and when Alan Thicke walked in the room, quite frankly, no one was cooler. I miss him already – my thoughts and prayers are with the entire Thicke family during this difficult time.
‘When Alan Thicke walked in the room, quite frankly, no one was cooler’…Is there a bigger compliment coming from a man like Leonardo DiCaprio? You could argue that it’s just a surface level compliment, and I’d tell you it’s anything but. Leonardo DiCaprio, the biggest movie star in the world, felt humbled and awe-inspired in the presence of Alan Thicke. We all have our heroes, and it appears for Leo one of those heroes was and will forever be Alan. May he rest in peace.
(h/t VanityFair)