John Kirby, a prominent acting coach in Hollywood and son of actor Bruce Kirby, passed away at age 75 following a three-year battle with ALS. The neurodegenerative condition was diagnosed in 2023 after a fall left him with a broken hip. His assistant of 22 years announced the death on Wednesday, marking the end of a long career influencing generations of entertainers.

Kirby's work spanned decades of coaching top-tier talent, including actors such as Jeff Bridges, Cameron Diaz, Hillary Duff, Chrissy Metz, and Jordin Sparks. Beyond individual instruction, he provided on-set coaching for numerous feature films and television shows produced by major studios, among them Disney's "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Prom," Universal's "Peter Pan," and other significant productions. His studio manager noted that Kirby's impact extends throughout the industry, with his influence present across a broad range of entertainment work.