We've lost a lot of acting greats over the past couple of years, but the world this weekend was rocked when classic Batman actor Adam West lost his battle to leukemia, succumbing to the disease at 88. Many of his fellow cast members from Batman already spoke out about losing their partner in crime(fighting), and this weekend new Batman Ben Affleck also spoke out about the loss, and even a little bit about what Adam West had taught him about taking on the role.
Taking to social media, Ben Affleck spoke out about Adam West as a person, also nodding at the fact that the actor, while not the first to play Batman, was the first for millions of Americans who flocked to the 1966 ABC series. In some respect, Adam West will always be Batman to a lot of people, and while it's common for celebrities to come out and pay tribute to actors who have come before them, it feels even more special in this case since West and Affleck have a big bond from being among just the handful of people who have known the highs and lows of playing the superhero.
Adam West had shared his thoughts on Ben Affleck playing the Caped Crusader in the past, joking to 13th Dimension that Batfleck would need to ditch the beard to play Bruce Wayne.
Anyway, what do I think of Ben Affleck? Well, lemme tell ya. I feel that if he shaves his beard, it might work. Or he can use it in a couple of scenes if he's down and out, and a ne'er-do-well, whatever's happened to him. But, you know, for 20-mill, he can shave his beard.
Obviously, Ben Affleck's take on the late Adam West is a little more reverent and serious, as it should be. Other celebrities who have also been involved with Batman-oriented projects have spoken out about the late actor, including the aforementioned cast members of the original TV series, but also Val Kilmer, who played Bruce Wayne in Batman Forever.
News broke over the weekend that Adam West had died after a short battle with leukemia. He was surrounded by his family when he passed and is survived by his wife, along with six children, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His version of Batman paved the way for future versions of the character, and he played other roles in the Batman universe in the time since the '66 series. His presence and his personality will certainly be missed.
