Milos Forman, the Oscar-winning director of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus, has died at age 84. According to his wife Martina, Forman passed away of a "brief illness" late Friday night in the United States. He was surrounded by his family when he passed, and the passing was a gentle, peaceful death. The Czech-born director is survived by his wife Martina and his four children, Peter, Matej, Andrew, and James.

Throughout his career, Forman directed 20 different projects, from documentaries to fictional dramas. He received three Oscar nominations, with two of them turning into wins for his work on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus. His third nomination he did not receive a win for was The People vs. Larry Flynt. Said Directors' Guild president Thomas Schlamme, following the death of the director.

"Milos was truly one of ours. A filmmaker, artist, and champion of artists' rights. His contribution to the craft of directing has been an undeniable source of inspiration for generations of filmmakers. His directorial vision deftly brought together provocative subject matter, stellar performances and haunting images to tell the stories of the universal struggle for free expression and self-determination that informed so much of his work and his life."

Many celebrities have also stepped forward following Forman's passing, paying tribute to the Oscar-winner. Said actor Antonio Banderas on his Twitter page.

"Milos Forman has left us. Genius of cinematography and master in the portrayal of the human condition. RIP."

Said Edgar Wright, the director of movies like Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

"Very sad to hear that the great director Milos Forman has passed away. He had a tremendous filmography that documented the rebel heart and human spirit. I have seen 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' enough times to be able to silently mouth along with the movie."

Said Larry Karaszewski, who had worked as a writer and producer on a number of projects with Forman.

"Milos Forman was our friend and our teacher. He was a master filmmaker - no one better at capturing small unrepeatable moments of human behavior. We made two movies together and every day spent with him was a unique adventure. Milos loved life. I will miss his laughter."

Milos Forman's final project as a director was A Walk Worthwhile, a romantic drama which released in the Czech Republic in 2009. Though Forman may not have had as enormous of a resume as other directors like Steven Spielberg, certainly played a big part in Hollywood. The movies he did put out were almost always fantastic, and he became a role model for thousands of filmmakers.

Forman, at one point, was even a chairman at the Columbia U film school, where he helped other filmmakers learn more about their craft. He even helped train Greg Mottola, who went on to direct comedies like Adventureland and Superbad. Milos Forman will certainly be missed in Hollywood. We are fortunate that he managed to pass peacefully alongside his family, according to the Czech News Agency CTK. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.