John Kirby, the acting coach who trained generations of Hollywood performers over five decades, died Wednesday, July 15, three years after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 75.
Nathan Nesbitt, Kirby’s studio manager and assistant of 22 years, announced the death on Instagram. “I am here to officially, with a broken heart, announce the passing of our beloved John,” Nesbitt wrote, describing the loss as devastating for those who worked alongside him. A celebration of life is planned for Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills, open to the public.
Kirby came from an acting family. His father, Bruce Kirby, spent decades as a character actor and is remembered for playing Sergeant George Kramer on “Columbo”; he died in 2021 at 95. His brother, Bruno Kirby, appeared in “City Slickers,” “Good Morning, Vietnam” and “When Harry Met Sally…” before dying of leukemia in 2006 at 57.
John Kirby began his own career as a young actor before shifting to coaching, building relationships with performers including Jeff Bridges, Cameron Diaz, Morris Chestnut, Judith Light and Hilary Duff. He formed an especially long partnership with Jim Caviezel, guiding him through films such as “Frequency,” “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “Pay It Forward.” His coaching credits on set extended to “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Peter Pan,” “Scream 4” and “Stick It.”
Chrissy Metz, who worked with Kirby during her run on “This Is Us,” wrote a tribute on Instagram calling him her mentor and friend. “My cheerleader when there was no chance of winning, my sounding board free of judgment, full of encouragement,” she wrote, adding that his teaching continued even as his health declined.
Kirby was diagnosed with ALS in June 2023 after a fall left him with a fractured hip and prompted further testing. Nesbitt said Kirby’s influence reaches across the industry. “I can’t turn on a television or watch a film without recognizing someone John coached, mentored or influenced,” he said, calling that impact woven into the fabric of Hollywood itself.
