Linda Manz gave one of the finest performances of any child actor in Hollywood history when she starred in Days of Heaven as Richard Gere’s little sister.
The actress was 15 when she was cast by acclaimed director Terrence Malick to play the part in his second film, which was released in 1978.
And he was so impressed that he later decided to have her narrate the picture.
She received rave reviews at the time and following her death this week, more than 40 years later, it is a performance which many have chosen to remember the Manhattan-raised performer by.
Actor, producer and writer Vincent D’Onofrio said: “As a young man seeing Linda Manz in Days of Heaven, her performance, it stayed with me.
“Opened my eyes to the idea of not losing your deepest self in a performance. I believe it affected all actors in that same way back then.”
Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis also paid her respects online.
She said: “Loved Linda Manz. Her performance in Days of Heaven is seared in my memory. A presence and a depth that can’t be taught.”
As a character named Linda in the 1916-set romantic drama, she starred alongside Richard Gere as his younger sister as he fled to work on a farm after killing his boss at a steel mill during a fight.
There followed roles in 1979 film The Wanderers, directed by Philip Kaufman, and she played the lead in Dennis Hopper’s influential cult film Out of the Blue in 1980.
She also had handful of roles in the late 1990s, including a small part in David Fincher’s movie The Game and a larger part in Harmony Korine’s Gummo in 1997.
Some of her dialogue from Out of the Blue was sampled by Scottish rock band Primal Scream in their song Kill All Hippies, which was released in 2000.
Manz died on August 14, 2020, at the age of 58.
According to her son Michael, she suffered from pneumonia and lung cancer in the time leading up to her death.
Director Edgar Wright said: “RIP Linda Manz, truly iconic for her roles in Days Of Heaven and Out Of The Blue.
“But when I think of her, the first indelible performance that springs to mind is as Peewee from Phillip Kaufman’s The Wanderers. Watch one of her movies tonight.”
A tweet from Primal Scream also paid tribute to the star.
