Producer Kevin Turen died after suffering a medical emergency while driving his Tesla – forcing his 10-year-old son to take the wheel and steer them to safety.
Turen, 44, known for his work on Euphoria and The Idol, died suddenly on Sunday while driving on a California freeway, TMZ have reported.
Kevin’s father Edward and his friend Michael Heller told the publication that he was driving his little boy home from a tennis tournament at the time.
They explained how Kevin’s car was on autopilot and his son had to steer the car over to the side of the freeway before dialling 911.
Kevin, who is survived by his wife of 11 years Evelina and their two sons, Jack and James, was pronounced dead after being rushed to hospital.
Tragic: Kevin Turen (pictured in 2007) died after suffering a medical emergency while driving his Tesla on Sunday
The producer, pictured with one of his children and his wife Evelena, suffered a medical emergency, forcing his 10-year-old son to take the wheel and avoid a collision
Following the father’s death, Turen’s loved ones described him as a successful Hollywood producer whose ‘greatest passion was his family and friends’
Authorities are believed to still be investigating Kevin’s official cause of death. Kevin’s father and friend have said drugs and alcohol weren’t involved.
Edward confirmed his son’s death in a statement on Sunday night.
In a statement he released to Deadline, he said: ‘Kevin was so incredibly special, this world is going to be less without him.’
Jay Penske, CEO of PMC and a close personal friend of Kevin, also released a statement.
‘Despite his many achievements in Hollywood, Kevin’s greatest passion was his family and friends,’ Penske’s statement began.
‘He was so proud of his children. He and his wife, Evelina, were resolved that their children grow up with great values and ensured they make a difference in the broader world,’ he added.
‘Our collective heart breaks for them, and we all feel such a profound sense of loss,’ Penske continued.
‘We will miss Kevin so much, and this town lost one of its brightest rising stars today,’ he concluded.
Family: Kevin is survived by his wife of 11 years Evelina and their children. The pair are pictured here in 2018
In a tribute from one of Turen’s friends, the producer’s wife Evelena (pictured on the couple’s wedding day) was described as his ‘lifetime love’
Kevin’ was born in Manhattan and studied cinema at Columbia University before starting his career.
He made his producing debut on the 2005 indie film Wassup Rockers from director Larry Clark.
He would go on to produce a number of feature films including Operation Endgame, which was written by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.
His other feature producer credits include Arbitrage starring Richard Gere, All Is Lost starring Robert Redford, and two more Levinson movies, Assassination Nation and Malcolm & Marie.
He most recently produced the Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Mia Goth’s X and Pearl and HBO’s Euphoria and The Idol.
In a tribute shared by one of Turen’s friends, Kirsten Smith, the producer was described as having ‘brought excitement and energy and warmth and laughter into every encounter.’
‘He knew more about movies than anyone I’ve ever met, but he wasn’t a know-it-all —he was a share-it-all. He loved sharing movies and great meals and his friends with each other,’ she said.
‘He is survived by his lifetime love, Evelina, and their two sons, and he leaves a lasting legacy of beautiful ground-breaking cinema that he fought to make…and a swath of friends, all of whom are devastated.
‘We love you, Kevin. And we can’t grapple with losing you because you were always there for all of us, bright-eyed and with that huge wonderful smile. I love you, Kevin.’
Hit shows: Kevin was one of the producers on HBO’s Euphoria starring Zendaya and The Idol, which starred The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp
Shock: TV producer Lynette Taylor tweeted, ‘Utterly tragic. Such a horrific loss’
Cassian’s tribute: Producer Cassian Elwes tweeted, ‘A good friend and true indie film maker died tonight too young. I’m so sad. Hold your love ones close. Life if precious and fleeting,’ as Taylor replied, ‘It’s so awful.’
Loved: Elwes quote-retweetd her response, adding, ‘He loved you and Graham,’ referring to her husband Graham Taylor
Small town: Cassian Elwes also tweeted, ‘What people don’t realize is actually Hollywood is a small town. Everyone eventually meets everyone. The indie film circuit of people who consistently make indie films is even smaller. We all know each other really well becaus we are kindred spirits. We lost a very important person in our circle tonight;
Other side: Elwes also tweeted a link to the Deadline obituary, adding, ‘So sad. I’ll see you on the other side my friend.’
Kirsten’s tribute: Kirsten Sage Coleman, a makeup artist who worked on both Euphoria and The Idol, took to her Instagram story and said, ‘Very said to hear this. Sending all of the love to the ones who need it’
Kevin was said to have had a photographic memory and could remember every frame of film he’d ever watched.
Kevin’s wife Evelina is best known for her starring roles in films like That Awkward Moment, The Box and Arbitrage.
Kevin’s death is sadly the second tragedy to strike HBO’s Euphoria this year, following the tragic passing of star Angus Cloud.
The actor, who played loveable drug dealer Fezco in the beloved series, passed away at just 25 years of age due to an accidental overdose involving many different drugs.
Cloud had recently just come back from Ireland where he had to bury his father, with the death taking a hard toll on the actor.