James Caan Remembered by Adam Sandler, Rob Reiner and More: 'Best of the Best'

Celebrity tributes are pouring in for James Caan, the Hollywood legend who died Wednesday at the age of 82.

A tweet from the actor's official account Thursday read, "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."

In a reply to the post, Caan's Misery director Rob Reiner said, "So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family."

"James Caan always had the funniest stories," wrote Jennifer Tilly, who starred with Caan in 2003's Jericho Mansions. "Once he told me [Francis Ford] Coppola had the habit of grabbing food off his plate & eating it, so one day he made a sandwich with very hot jalapeños between two pieces of buttered bread, & waited outside Coppola's airstream ... "

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Continued Tilly, 63, "Coppola came roaring out to direct the next scene, grabbed the sandwich off the plate & gobbled it down. Immediately tears started squirting out of his eyes & he started yelling 'What is this? What did you do to me?!' And Jimmy said meekly 'Did I ask you to eat my sandwich? Did I?' "

Sharing a black-and-white throwback photo of Caan, Adam Sandler, who starred alongside Caan in Bulletproof (1996) and That's My Boy (2012), said he always looked up to the veteran actor.

"James Caan. Loved him very much. Always wanted to be like him. So happy I got to know him," wrote Sandler, 55. "Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man."

Continued Sandler, "His movies were best of the best. We all will miss him terribly. Thinking of his family and sending my love."

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"We were lucky enough to work with James Caan on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," said co-director Christopher Miller, including a photo of Caan recording his voice role in the 2009 animated film. "He brought a pathos and authenticity to the role of Tim Lockwood that held the film together. RIP to a legend."

"Very sad to hear the news that James Caan has died," tweeted Gary Sinise. "Heartbroken for his family & his friends. Wonderful to know him & call him a pal. Jimmy was so supportive of Gary Sinise Foundation & my work w/ our veterans. He will be missed. Thank you my friend. Rest In Peace. God bless you."

"James Caan was a true delight," Caan's Elf costar Zooey Deschanel says in a statement exclusive to PEOPLE. "My favorite memory of him was shooting part of a montage for the end of Elf and he started playing piano — he played beautifully — I sang and he played and I was just astonished by his talent! I think he was just capable of so many things and that's what made him such a wonderful actor. I was so honored to have worked with him."

"One of our best is gone. Jimmy Caan. ⁣Actor extraordinaire. Straight shooter. Funny as hell. Raw honesty," Caan's Mickey Blue Eyes costar Jeanne Tripplehorn wrote in an Instagram post. "He would bring something new and interesting to every take he did. God bless was he a talent and God bless was I ever lucky to have worked with him. My heart goes out to his family and friends. Honor him and watch his work."

"What a terrible and tragic loss. Jimmy was not just a great actor with total commitment and a venturesome spirit, but he had a vitality in the core of his being that drove everything from his art and friendship to athletics and very good times," Michael Mann, who worked with Caan on the 1991 crime film Thief, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

"There was a core of values within him about how people should be, more or less. It might be variable, the corners could be rounded with urban irony, but there was a line and it was non-fungible. And it produced many outrageous and hilarious anecdotes," continued Mann.

"I loved him and I loved working with him. He reached into the core of his being during difficult personal times to be the rebellious, half wild child, institutionalized outsider Frank, in my first film, Thief. Frank is half Frank, half Jimmy. The character and the man – like his Sonny in The Godfather – were made for each other. Unique. What a loss."

Caan's Funny Lady costar Barbra Streisand wrote alongside a black-and-white throwback photo of the pair, "I'm so sorry to hear about Jimmy. he was so talented."

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Molly Sims, who played Caan's daughter on the 2000s crime drama Las Vegas, penned a tribute to her beloved costar on Instagram, captioning a carousel of photos in part, "You made those around you better, and you were the best TV dad I could've had. You will be so missed. Rip my friend."

Caan's Misery costar Kathy Bates also remembered her longtime friend in a touching tribute shared with PEOPLE: "I can't believe Jimmy's gone. Working with him on Misery was one of the most profound experiences of my career. When you watch his performance, his terror, it's as though he's watching a snake. Brilliant."

Added Bates, "So many memories flooding back today. Jimmy saying, 'Let's get the most hyper guy in Hollywood and make him stay in bed for 15 weeks.' We were so excited when we got to shoot in the dining room. He was kind. Hilarious. He would have something insightfully funny to say right now."

"I'm bereft. Sending all my love to the Caan family," she concluded.

Sharon Stone also honored Caan in a tribute posted to Instagram, captioning an old photo of the pair, "My second acting job was #JamesCaan. He was so much fun. From that moment on he always had my back. Jimmy, I treasure every second 🤍 Go with God. Sharon."

Heidi Fleiss, who has been friends with Caan since she was 19 years old, told PEOPLE in a statement, "He's one of the old fashioned actors, a tough guy. He worked with John Wayne … Jimmy, I don't know, he was all man and he held himself in a certain esteem, kind of, I would have to say. He had a beautiful life."

A titan in the film industry, Caan's movie and TV career stretches back over 60 years, with some of his most notable roles being in The Godfather (1972), Misery (1990) and Elf (2003).

Other notable roles throughout his career include in films like Brian's Song (1971), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Gambler (1974), Rollerball (1975), Dick Tracy (1990), Bottle Rocket (1996) and Eraser (1996).

Caan was also known for appearances on television — perhaps most notably for starring as Ed Deline in the dramedy series Las Vegas, which ran for five seasons on NBC from 2003 to 2008.

Among Caan's numerous accolades are four Golden Globe nominations, along with nods from both the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. He was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.

According to IMDb, Caan's final film role will be in 2023's Fast Charlie. The action-crime-thriller is listed as in post-production, and costars Morena Baccarin and Pierce Brosnan.

Caan is survived by sons Scott, James, Jacob and Alexander, as well as daughter Tara.