George Jung, 'Blow' inspiration played by Johnny Depp, dead at 78.

George Jung, 'Blow' inspiration played by Johnny Depp, dead at 78.

The late drug trafficker was part of the Medellín Cartel.

George Jung, a drug trafficker known for inspiring the movie "Blow," has died. He was 78.

The news was confirmed on his official Instagram account on Wednesday.

The post, which included a photo of Jung smoking a cigarette, confirmed that he passed away on Wednesday morning in his hometown of Weymouth, Mass.

No cause of death was given.

Another post was published on his official Twitter account.

"May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars," it read. According to People magazine, the quote is from "Blow."

The post concluded with "1942-2021" – his lifespan.

According to the outlet, Jung was part of the Medellín Cartel, founded by Pablo Escobar, and was known as a cocaine trader in the 1970s and 80s.

In 1994, he was arrested and imprisoned for 20 years. In November 2020, Deadline reported that he was still on probation and fighting his personal demons.

Though no cause of death was given in the official announcements, TMZ reports he was battling kidney and liver failure.

Additionally, TMZ claims Jung died in hospice care with loved ones nearby, and that he will be cremated.

Jung's exploits were chronicled in the 1993 book "Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All" by Bruce Porter, which was adapted into the movie "Blow" starring Johnny Depp as the drug trafficker. The movie was released in 2001.

Penelope Cruz, Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths and more also starred in the Ted Demme-directed flick.

Jung was initially not pleased with Depp's casting because the actor played a "narc" in "21 Jump Street" and "a half-human, androgynous barber" in "Edward Scissorhands," as he told a Q&A panel in 2018, per The Hollywood Reporter.

How did George Jung die?

According to TMZ, George Jung suffered from kidney and liver failure and ultimately died in his hometown of Weymouth, Mass., while in hospice. George’s official Twitter page confirmed the news of George’s death in a tweet that featured one of the most famous quotes from Blow.

The tweet read, "May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face, and the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars."

Although George was initially apprehensive about Johnny Depp playing his doppelganger in Ted Demme’s Blow, he later praised the actor for his portrayal and hung out with him on more than one occasion. In the past, George has opened up about his life of crime, which he didn’t think was a crime at all.

He explained in an interview with PBS, “I felt that there was nothing wrong with what I was doing because I was supplying a product to people that wanted it and it was accepted. I mean nobody really was making any negative statements about marijuana.”

Jung is survived by daughter Kristina Sunshine Jung.

Did George Jung ever see his daughter, Kristina Sunshine?

At the end of Blow, viewers learn that George Jung and his daughter (who was played by Emma Roberts in the film) hadn’t spoken in years, but according to reports, that changed before the former drug kingpin’s release from prison.

While it’s unclear if Kristina Sunshine Jung ever visited her father in prison, photos confirm that the two reconnected when he got out. It appears that George and Kristina reconciled their relationship and were able to spend some quality time together before his death. He wrote on Twitter, "Cant live without my heart."

But along with her father’s death, Kristina has also recently experienced another personal tragedy. Her daughter, Athena Karan, was killed at only 19 years old in a car crash earlier this year. Kristina said in a previous interview, “I miss her free spirit and laugh. I ask God to please give me the strength I need to accept my new life without Athena.”

We’re sending our condolences to Kristina and her family during this tragic time.

He eventually came around and praised the Oscar nominee for sticking to the story.

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