Stephen Hawking dead at 76: Eddie Redmayne, cast of Big Bang Theory lead tributes

Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar for playing Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, led Hollywood’s tributes for the scientist, who died at the age of 76 on Wednesday.

Stephen Hawking’s death on Wednesday left the universe a slightly dimmer place but lit up social media as celebrities alike praised a scientist whose appeal crossed time, space and cultural boundaries.

Eddie Redmayne played Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything.

He died peacefully at his home in the British university city of Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday.

Eddie Redmayne, who played Hawking in 2014’s The Theory of Everything, said in a statement to USA Today “We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family.” Redmayne won an Oscar for his performance.

“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today,” his children Lucy, Robert and Tim said in a statement.

Here is a collection of tweets reacting to Hawking’s death: