George Clooney Pays Tribute to “Ocean’s Eleven ”Costar Scott L. Schwartz After He Dies at 65: ‘Gentle Soul’
Schwartz played “Bruiser” in “Ocean's Eleven,” "Ocean's Twelve,” and “Ocean's Thirteen”
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George Clooney has paid tribute to his former costarGeorge Clooney is paying tribute to his former “Ocean's Eleven” costar, "gentle soul" Scott L. Schwartz who has died at the age of 65.
“I’m sorry to hear that Scott is gone,” Clooney, 63, said, per Variety. “We did three films together and I’ve never been so gently punched. He was a gentle soul and he will be dearly missed."
The 6-foot-10 actor played “Bruiser” in Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s heist trilogy. His wife Misty confirmed to PEOPLE that he died of congestive heart failure on Nov. 26 at his home in Covington, L.A. He was 65.
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Schwartz is also survived by his children Angela and Adam.
Apart from Terry Benedict (played by Andy Garcia), “Bruiser” is the only character to feature in Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen. In the 2001 original, Clooney’s character, Danny Ocean hires Schwartz’s character to pretend to beat him up during the group’s heist.
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The wrestler turned actor has died at the age of 65Schwartz's wife — who describes him as the "love of her life and best friend" — also shared with PEOPLE, that while he loved his time on screen he was “most proud of his charity work.” Schwartz was awarded the Glass Slipper Award from the children’s healthcare foundation CHOC with fellow recipients including David Beckham and Gwen Stefani.
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“Most people associate Scott with the movies, but those who know him personally associated him with being a jolly person, so full of life, a strong loving person, foodie and travel aficionado,” Misty shares. She adds that he “truly loved life and everyone that he met along the way.”
Misty tells PEOPLE that her husband's passing had left a huge "Scott Schwartz size hole," in her heart. "Life won't be the same without him."
Born in Philidelphia on March 16, 1959, Schwartz began his career as a professional wrestler under the ring names of The Israeli Commando and Giant David, per Deadline.
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Clooney and Schwartz in "Ocean's Eleven"The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
He then took his skills to Hollywood where he found work as a stuntman and “heavy.” Aside from the Oceans franchise, Schwartz’s television credits included Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Martial Law and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.. He also had roles in films Fun with Dick and Jane, Starsky & Hutch and The Scorpion King.
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