Long-time animator and director on The Simpsons, Edwin Aguilar has died.
As reported first in The Hollywood Reporter, Aguilar died on Sunday (April 11) after suffering a stroke; he was 46-years-old.
On Twitter, The Simpsons producer Matt Selman said Aguilar was “a talented artist and beloved fountain of love and inspiration to all.”
Simpsons character designer Eric Keyes added: “This is going to hurt for some time. Edwin was such a lovely person.”
Aguilar worked on the long-running animation for over two decades, serving as both an animator and assistant director on the show.
You can see some of the tributes below:
We @TheSimpsons family are mourning the loss of animator Edwin Aguilar — a talented artist and beloved fountain of love and inspiration to all https://t.co/0HOY3RdHqm
— Matt Selman (@mattselman) April 12, 2021
Thank you <3 This is going to hurt for some time, Edwin was such a lovely person <3
— Eric Keyes (@monkeyes) April 12, 2021
Our dear friend Edwin Aguilar (right) has left us
. Edwin was an Assistant Director on the Simpsons and very active in the Salvadorian community. He leaves behind 2 adult children and a 3 year old son. He was truly a special and kind human being. We’ll miss you brother. pic.twitter.com/KzAkSaOkMC
— LAisOurHouse
(@LAisOurHouse) April 11, 2021
A very sad so long to everybody's great and dear friend, Edwin Aguilar. Everyone @TheSimpsons feels the loss of this great great artist and great great person. He was the kindest and strongest, and we will miss him always. Edwin being interviewed at CTN eXpo a few years ago – pic.twitter.com/bLZlmD3N8Y
— David Silverman (@tubatron) April 14, 2021
Aguilar, who was born in El Salvador, immigrated to the US in 1982. He studied illustration at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena.
He began his career working as an animation assistant at Graz Entertainment which made cartoons including Transformers and G.I. Joe.
He also worked for Hanna-Barbera and then at Warner Bros. with Chuck Jones.
Aguilar joined The Simpsons in 1998 where he worked, according to The Hollywood Reporter, as “an animator, character layout artist, storyboard revisionist, assistant director, and more.”
He also worked on The Simpsons Movie in 2007. The director of that, David Silverman wrote on Twitter: “A very sad so long to everybody’s great and dear friend, Edwin Aguilar. Everyone @TheSimpsons feels the loss of this great great artist and great great person.
“He was the kindest and strongest, and we will miss him always.”
Aguilar is survived by his wife and three children. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help benefit his family.
The post Long-time ‘Simpsons’ animator and director Edwin Aguilar has died appeared first on NME.
