'Sean Connery WAS James Bond': Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan mourn 007

Celebrities, fans and friends alike are paying their respects to Sean Connery, the Scottish actor known for defining James Bond for a generation.

Harrison Ford, who starred alongside Connery in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," paid tribute to his on-screen father in a statement to USA TODAY on Monday.

"He was my father... not in life...but in 'Indy 3,' " Ford said. "You don’t know pleasure until someone pays you to take Sean Connery for a ride in the side car of a Russian motorcycle bouncing along a bumpy, twisty mountain trail and getting to watch him squirm. God we had fun – if he’s in heaven, I hope they have golf courses. Rest in peace dear friend."

Pierce Brosnan, who played the suave 007 in four films, described the star as "my greatest James Bond."

"Sir Sean Connery, you were my greatest James Bond as a boy," Brosnan wrote Saturday evening on his verified Instagram account, saying that Connery "cast a long shadow of cinematic splendor that will live on forever."

Brosnan noted that all the Bonds who followed in Connery's footsteps "looked to you with reverence and admiration as we forged ahead with our own interpretations of the role. You were mighty in every way, as an actor and as a man, and will remain so till the end of time."

Daniel Craig, the longest standing James Bond, said he felt "such sadness" hearing the news of Connery's passing in a statement provided to USA TODAY by his publicist, Laura Symons.

"Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more," Craig said. "He defined an era and a style. The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts; he helped create the modern blockbuster. He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come."

Craig added that his thoughts are with Connery's families and loved ones. "Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course.”

George Lazenby, the actor who played Bond in "On Her Majesty’s Secret Service," called him "a great actor, a great man and underappreciated artist."

The verified Twitter account for the James Bond films shared the actor died at the age of 90. Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were “devastated by the news.”

Robert De Niro said he was sad to learn about the passing of Connery in a statement provided to USA TODAY by his publicist Stan Rosenfield.

"He seemed much younger than 90; I expected – and hoped – he’d be with us much longer," De Niro said. "See you up there, Sean."

Sam Neill, who worked with Connery on 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," remembered every day with him on the set as "an object lesson in how to act,” Neill tweeted. “But all that charisma and power – that was utterly unique to Sean. RIP that great man, that great actor.”

Catherine Zeta-Jones, Connery's co-star in 1999's "Entrapment," shared a photo of them together on Instagram and wrote, "I love you Sean Connery with all my heart. ... I will cherish every moment I shared with you."

President Donald Trump recalled how Connery helped him get approvals for a big real-estate development in Scotland. "He was quite a guy, and a tough character," Trump tweeted. "Sean was a great actor and an even greater man."

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, tweeted that she was "heartbroken" over the news. "Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons," she wrote in a tweet that kicked off a thread about Connery.

"Sean will be remembered best as James Bond - the classic 007 - but his roles were many & varied," she wrote in the third tweet. "He was a global legend but, first and foremost, a patriotic and proud Scot - his towering presence at the opening of @ScotParl in 1999 showed his love for the country of his birth."

It was an honor, to know Connery, she added.

Bond villain Robert Carlyle, who played Renard in 1999's "The World Is Not Enough," tweeted twice Saturday morning. "RIP Sir Sean Connery.. a trailblazer, a true legend and a gentleman." He also shared an image of himself with Connery in 2008 and called it one of his "proudest moments."

Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted too, calling Connery a legend and "one of the greatest actors of all time."

"He provided endless entertainment for all of us & inspiration for me," he wrote. "I’m not just saying that because he was a bodybuilder who placed in the Mr. Universe contest! He was an icon. My thoughts are with his family."

Hugh Jackman took to Twitter on Saturday morning to mourn the icon.

"I grew up idolizing #SeanConnery," Jackman wrote. "A legend on screen, and off. Rest In Peace."

Spike Lee posted on Instagram to pay his respects. "We Just Lost ANOTHER Great-SEAN CONNERY/The Original JAMES BOND-007," Lee wrote. "Some Of Earliest Memories Of My Late Mother (Jacqueline Shelton Lee) Taking Me To The Movies Was James Bond Joints."

"No Disrespect To The Other Actors Who Later Played 007,But To Me Sean Is My Guy," Lee added.

Actress Elizabeth Hurley kept it simple, "RIP the glorious Sean Connery," she wrote, sharing an image of a young Connery reading, shirtless on a boat.

Piers Morgan also added to the discourse on Twitter, sharing an image of a suave Connery.

" ‘Sean Connery WAS James Bond, the rest of us were just imposters.’ - what George Lazenby, the man who replaced him as 007, told me a few years ago. He was right....."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sean Connery dead: Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, more mourn James Bond