Burt Reynolds’ death at age 82 Thursday hit many Georgians close to home. For years, Reynolds claimed the state as his own, and said he was born in Waycross, Georgia. He wasn’t, but that didn’t matter to most of us in the Peach State.
Reynolds is often credited with putting Georgia on the map for Hollywood. He made several successful movies in the state and was the first actor to do so. It is fair to say Georgia’s booming film industry wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful as it is today without Reynolds work here in the late 70s and 80s.
Because he spent so much time here, many Georgians have stories about him and have a fondness for him that are deeper than that of most stars. Whether he was born here or not, he was very much considered one of us. Georgians shared their feelings about this legendary film figure on social media. Here are some of their tributes.
