Gerard Butler has posted a heartfelt tribute to his late friend and singer Darius Campbell Danesh, who was found dead on August 11.
Danesh was found unresponsive in his bed in his apartment in Minnesota, US. The pop star and film producer rose to fame after finishing third in the first-ever series of Pop Idol. He died aged 41 and his cause of death is unknown as of yet.
Now, Butler, who was friends was Danesh, has posted a lengthy tribute to the popstar on his Instagram.
"I am devastated by the sudden passing of my dear friend Darius, a true brother in arms," he wrote.
"My thoughts and love go to his wonderful mum and dad Avril and Booth and his two brilliant brothers Aria and Cyrus. To those lucky enough to have met Darius for more than a few minutes, they were deeply moved by his infectious laugh and barely containable zest for life.
"He was always armed with a smile, a booming voice, and a genuinely warm embrace that few could resist – nor would they want to!!! He was an incredible talent, a singer whose voice touched your soul and an actor with great presence.
"But, most importantly, he had the heart of a lion. It was bigger and brighter than the sun and an energy so contagious he could light up a room in seconds."
Related: Pop Idol's Darius Campbell Danesh dies, aged 41
Butler went on to describe as Danesh as the "the perfect friend" and wrote that he was someone who always led by example and acted as a teacher to help people "be the best possible versions of themselves".
"The universe unfolds in ways we may not agree with or even understand. Somewhere in there I believe there is, or will be, some meaning in why he left us so early," he said.
"If it was nothing more than teaching us to live with that open heart, putting others first and never taking ourselves too seriously as we learn to traverse this wonky world we live in then, that might be enough. But something tells me there will be way more waves created by our boy Darius further down the line.
"My heart aches heavily. But going forward, I will beat my drum louder and celebrate life and its every beautiful moment because my brother showed me that was a pretty awesome way to go about it."
Related: Ant and Dec pay tribute to Darius Campbell Danesh after he passes away aged 41
Danesh finished third in the first season of Pop Idol, which was won by Will Young, who also posted a tribute to the late singer. Danesh later turned down Simon Cowell's offer of a record deal, signing instead with Steve Lillywhite.
Danesh's debut single, Colourblind, charted at number one upon its release in 2002, before he had a string of top 10 releases.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Jacob is a freelance writer who specialises in narrative TV and film.
He graduated from the University of Roehampton with an MA in Journalism and has written for several publications since, including Gold Derby, Insider, and Screen Daily.
Jacob has covered major events in the world of film and TV, including numerous BAFTA ceremonies and the Cannes Film Festival, while he's also been an awards expert for several publications, including Korea's Arirang. His particular areas of interest include Star Wars, the MCU, the Oscars, and Hugh Grant.
