Linda Blair Remembers 'Exorcist' Director William Friedkin: 'He Fiercely Protected Me'

After his death Monday, "The Exorcist" star Linda Blair posted a long, loving tribute to director William Friedkin, the man who took a chance on her as the star of what would become one of the most successful films of all time.

"Like Sidney Poitier‘s famous movie 'To Sir with Love', how do you put into words appreciation to the person that changed your life forever, along with the world?" she wrote.

Calling Friedkin, who died at 87, a "game changer," she wrote that he "thought outside the box, was a genius with an incredibly bold personality and extraordinary imagery that electrified colleagues and moviegoers alike and remained a true maverick throughout his career in the film industry."

"Every actor wanted to work with him and maybe my story is the most poignant. Taking a real 13-year-old and confirming my stability to endure the journey he was about to take me and the world on," she wrote of her casting as Regan, a tween possessed by a demonic entity. "His directing came with demanding guidance, commitment and strict work ethic. His creative licensing with my performance, always thought provoking and precise with his 'on point' direction for my performance as Regan. Pushing envelopes with ground breaking special effects to ensure my performance was nothing less than shocking and unforgettable," she went on.

Summarizing his protective nature — in stark contrast with his legendarily tough-talking persona — she revealed, "He fiercely protected me from the maddening crowds that reared their ugly heads back in the day of the movie’s release. He understood my need to remain grounded in nature, my love for animals, and giving me my first prize horse which I named 'Best Director' in his honor. He supported my continued love for animals and my foundation Linda Blair Worldheart, to change the world for the animals."

"He was my director, friend, and protector. It was an honor to know him and I am deeply saddened at this time. He changed my life forever, along with the world through my performance, and all my performances throughout my career."

Blair, 64, closed with, "RIP my dear friend…love, respect and deepest condolences to Sherry, Cedric and Jack," referencing his wife of 30-plus years, ex-studio head Sherry Lansing, and his two sons.

"The Exorcist," adapted from the best-selling 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty (who died in 2017), was a sensation upon its release in 1973. Friedkin's follow-up to the immensely successful, Oscar-winning "The French Connection," the film became arguably the most beloved and influential horror film of all time, the first to garner a Best Picture Oscar nomination. It was also the highest-grossing R-rated horror movie for over 40 years, and was re-released to great success.

Ellen Burstyn, who played Regan's mother in the film — and who will appear in a new trilogy of "Exorcist" films directed by David Gordon Green that begin rolling out in two months — remembered Friedkin as "an original," telling Deadline he was, "Smart, cultured, fearless and wildly talented. On the set, he knew what he wanted, would go to any length to get it and was able to let it go if he saw something better happening. He was undoubtedly a genius.”