Hollywood legend Lynda Obst dies aged 74 as Top Gun star leads tributes

Lynda Obst has passed away at the age of 74 (Image: Getty Images for National Geographic)

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of iconic film producer Lynda Obst, who has passed away at the age of 74. Famed for her involvement in treasured films such as Sleepless in Seattle and Interstellar, she sadly succumbed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The industry has been quick to honour Lynda, with heartfelt tributes flooding in from figures including "Top Gun" actor Glen Powell. In a touching homage on Twitter, he hailed Ms Obst as a "true trailblazer" adding: "I interned for Lynda when I first moved to LA. A true trailblazer who never missed an opportunity to help me learn. I'd often get to drive her home from the office and witnessed someone who took in everything. To her, the entire world was a great story ripe for the making. RIP."

Before becoming a legendary figure in Hollywood, Obst made her mark at The New York Times as an editor.

Her pivot to film production in the 1980s saw her collaboration with Debra Hill on projects like Adventures in Babysitting, Heartbreak Hotel, and The Fisher King. After parting professional ways with Hill, she went on to establish Lynda Obst Productions, notably working alongside Ricky Gervais on the 2009 comedy The Invention of Lying.

It was under her own banner that she joined forces with acclaimed director Christopher Nolan on the sci-fi epic Interstellar in 2014, marking a significant milestone as Lynda Obst Productions was acknowledged in the credits for their role in the film's creation, reports the Mirror.