Celebrity Celebrity Deaths Celebrity Death Tributes Reese Witherspoon Honors Legally Blonde 2 Costar Bob Newhart: 'I Will Miss His Kindness' Newhart played Sid Post alongside Witherspoon’s Elle Woods in the 2003 'Legally Blonde' sequel By Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson Gabrielle Rockson is a staff writer-reporter for PEOPLE. She joined PEOPLE in 2023 and covers entertainment and human interest stories. She's interviewed David Beckham, Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet and many others. Her previous work can be found in OK! Magazine, MyLondon, GRM Daily, and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on July 19, 2024 11:43AM EDT From Left: Bob Newhart and Reese Witherspoon in 'Legally Blonde 2'. Photo: Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock Reese Witherspoon is paying tribute to Bob Newhart. On Thursday, July 18, the actress, 48, posted a sweet message on her Instagram Stories in honor of her late Legally Blonde 2 costar, who played the role of Sid Post alongside Witherspoon’s Elle Woods. “To say I was a fan of Bob Newhart was an understatement… I watched the Newhart show every week and laughed so hard every time Bob gave his signature slow deadpan delivery of lines,” Witherspoon wrote under a photo of the two sitting on a bench in the 2003 Legally Blonde sequel. Newhart died on Thursday, July 18, at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 94. According to his publicist, per a press release obtained by PEOPLE, the actor had suffered from a series of short illnesses. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Reese Witherspoon's tribute to Bob Newhart. Reese Witherspoon/Instagram Remembering Bob Newhart's Life in Photos "Even his silence was funny. His reaction said everything the audience was thinking,” Witherspoon added in her tribute. She also shared a photo of Elle sorting out Sid's bow tie. “I will miss his kindness and his humor... and his love for a great comedy bit,” the film producer continued. “I feel so lucky that I got to share the screen with such a legend.” Concluding the tribute, Witherspoon wrote, “Rest in Peace Bob. Thank you for making us laugh for so many years.” Reese Witherspooon's tribute to Bob Newhart. Reese Witherspoon/Instagram Who Was Bob Newhart's Wife? All About Ginnie Newhart Witherspoon hasn’t been the only star to mourn the late Hollywood icon. The Big Bang Theory's Mayim Bialik penned a sweet tribute to Newhart, who guest-starred as Professor Proton on the series from 2013 to 2018. "As a child, the Bob Newhart Show provided countless hours of enjoyment for me — it constituted some of my earliest training in the art of sitcom. When I got to work with alongside him on TBBT, it was absolutely a dream come true," she said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE. "He was effortlessly professional, poised, hilarious and incredibly approachable. Working with Bob was working in the presence of a true comedy legend – the likes of whom we simple don’t see anymore. How he will be missed," she continued. Desperate Housewives star Lesley Ann Warren, who played Newhart's wife on the series, told PEOPLE, "I had the pleasure of working with the lovely gentleman and brilliant comic actor that was the inimitable Bob Newhart." She added, "His delivery was always uniquely his, understated and sublimely intelligent. A complete joy!"