On Sept. 26, the world lost one of the best and most charismatic actors to ever grace the silver screen.Paul Newman was the embodiment of “cool.” Starring in films like “Cool Hand Luke,” “The Sting” and “The Hustler,” Newman established himself as the ultimate anti-hero. He always played the character we shouldn’t root for, but we did anyway.Newman’s rebel attitude helped him make the transition to the counterculture attitude of the 1960s. In “Cool Hand Luke,” Newman became a hero to many Americans. With growing opposition to the Vietnam War, Newman became a symbol of the underdog fighting authority.Although he was known mostly for acting, Newman was actually a “Renaissance man” of sorts. Besides acting, Newman was also a director, race car enthusiast, philanthropist and owner of Newman’s Own, a food company.A humanitarian at heart, Newman donated millions of dollars to various charities like the Catholic Relief Services and Kenyon College. He was also an outspoken political activist who openly supported gay rights. He worked with various liberal causes, including support of Eugene McCarthy in the 1960s.Newman was the man every woman wanted and the guy every man tried to emulate. But he remained faithful to his wife of 50 years, actress Joanne Woodward. After being nominated for several Academy Awards, Newman finally won Best Actor for “The Color of Money” in 1986, reprising his role as Fast Eddie from the 1963 film “The Hustler.”Newman backed out of the spotlight in recent years, resigning to a few movie roles and voiceovers. He announced he had lung cancer in 2008. In the remaining months of his life, Newman was intensely private, wishing to spend time with his family.The handsome, defiant actor who once uttered the famous phrase, “What we have here is a failure to communicate,” passed away not with a bang, but with a quiet dignity deserving of a compassionate man.The word “legend” is tossed around a lot these days, but no one is more deserving of the title than Paul Newman.If you asked Paul Newman if he thought he was a legend, he would probably deny it. But to millions of people, he was a hero both on and off screen.He portrayed his characters so well it’s hard to imagine anyone else in his roles. He made each role his own and never gave less than 100 percent.The old adage “They don’t make ‘em like that anymore” can be applied to Newman not only as an actor, but as a person. His benevolence and devotion to good causes set the standard for celebrities to use their power for good.NASCAR team owner Jack Rouse said of him, “Paul Newman — a real American hero, an inspiration to me in much that I have attempted in my adult life. Not so much for the parts he played, but for the man that he was. He was one of Hollywood’s greatest. He could not only talk the talk on film but, more importantly, could walk the walk as a private citizen.” – – – -Contact Blake LeJeune at [email protected]