Ben Stiller sadly lost his mother, comedienne and actress Anne Meara, on Saturday and now the Zoolander star has paid tribute to his mother, calling her "an extraordinary person". In a Facebook post, Ben added an old picture of Anne from when she was a young lady.
Writing underneath the picture, which has gained over 50,000 likes, Ben added: "My mom Anne. She was an extraordinary person. Miss her."
My mom Anne. She was an extraordinary person. Miss her.
Posted by Ben Stiller on Tuesday, 26 May 2015
He also took to social media site Twitter to speak to his fans, writing: "Thank you so much for all the kind words about Anne. All of us in our family feel so lucky to have had her in our lives."
Anne's passing was announced on Sunday through a family statement- the day after the star passed away.
"Anne's memory lives on in the hearts of daughter Amy, son Ben, her grandchildren, her extended family and friends, and the millions she entertained as an actress, writer and comedienne," read the statement.
Other stars of the big screen shared their reactions across social media, with director Paul Feig writing: "Very sad to hear of the passing of Anne Meara.
"Such an incredibly funny person, an amazing woman & a groundbreaker. A huge loss for comedy."
Oscar winner Marlee Matlin said: "So sorry to read about the passing of Anne Meara. Condolences to @RedHourBen and dad Jerry Stiller", while Steve Martin emotionally offered his condolences: "Stiller and Meara have been a wonderful presence in comedy my whole life. Now Anne Meara is gone, and I salute her."
Anne Meara with her daughter-in-law Christine Taylor and son Ben Stiller
Born in 1929, Anne was a TV regular for decades, appearing alongside her fellow comic and actor husband Jerry as one half of the comedy double-act Stiller & Meara in the Sixties and Seventies.
She was nominated for numerous Emmy awards, and won a Writers Guild Award for The Other Woman, a made-for-TV film that was shown in 1983.
Ben directed Anne in the cult film Reality Bites in 1994, and the pair shared screen time together in the 2006 comedy Night at the Museum.
