Betty White, who has been making us laugh for decades with iconic roles on The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, passed away at the age of 99. Hollywood stars spent New Year’s Eve sharing touching tributes looking back at her life and legacy.
White died peacefully at her home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, just 17 days before what would be her 100th birthday. Her agent Jeff Witjas confirmed her passing in an official statement and said to PEOPLE, “Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever.”
Tributes for White poured in on New Year’s Eve after the news of her death made the headlines. Ryan Reynolds, Sandra Bullock, Reese Witherspoon, Viola Davis, and Robert Redford are some of the stars who shared touching stories and tributes, remembering the time they shared with White.
White got her start as a game show host, before securing a role on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She became a household name while playing Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls, and made a comeback with the role on Hot in Cleveland during the 2010s. She received eight Emmy Awards, three SAG Awards, and one Grammy Award over the course of her career.
Betty White was often referred to as “the first lady of television” due to her great contribution to this medium and she even earned a Guinness World Record for the longest TV career after eight decades in the spotlight.
