Rex Reed, Film Critic, Dies at 87

Rex Reed, the acerbic film critic and journalist whose sharp reviews and celebrity profiles shaped entertainment journalism for decades, died Tuesday at his Manhattan home. He was 87.

Reed succumbed to a short illness, according to publicist Sean Katz and longtime friend William Kapfer, who confirmed the death on behalf of Reed's inner circle. Kapfer said Reed passed surrounded by loved ones.

Over a career spanning more than six decades, Reed built a reputation for witty, often biting commentary on films, Broadway and Hollywood stars. His work appeared in outlets including The New York Times, Esquire, GQ, Vogue and, for nearly four decades, the New York Observer, where he wrote a regular column starting in 1987. He was briefly let go in 2017 before returning, with his final review covering the 2025 film Truth Treason. Earlier stints included 13 years at the New York Daily News and five at the New York Post.

Born October 2, 1938, in Fort Worth, Texas, Reed grew up moving across the South due to his father's oil rig work. He earned a journalism degree from Louisiana State University in 1960, where he edited the literary magazine and wrote for the campus paper. Rejecting a copy boy...