The last time we crossed paths, we both had films playing in Venice. It was a good feeling of running into each other. I feel, as many of us do, that he was part of my learning process. He was one of those playwrights that was trying different things. As a young actor, I wanted to be doing things that were innovative and touching on the zeitgeist.
Shepard is survived by his former partner Jessica Lange, and his three children: Jesse Mojo Shepard, Hannah Jane Shepard, and Samuel Walker Shepard.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)