The Exorcist Director Remembered By Film’s Star Ellen Burstyn: "Smart, Fearless & Wildly Talented"

The Exorcist star Ellen Burstyn pays tribute to William Friedkin, calling the late director “smart, fearless and wildly talented.” Based on a novel by William Peter Blatty, 1973’s The Exorcist terrified audiences like nothing ever had before, going on to be a blockbuster hit, while setting a standard for Hollywood horror movies that arguably has never been matched. Leading the cast of The Exorcist in the role of Chris MacNeil, Burstyn gave a harrowing performance and went on to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. This year, Burstyn returns to the Exorcist franchise for the first time in decades, reprising the role of MacNeil in David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist: Believer.