‘Fight Club’ fans pay moving tribute to Meat Loaf, who played a crucial role in the film

Following news of his passing this morning, fans are remembering the musician and prolific actor known as Meat Loaf. 

One of Meat Loaf’s most iconic performances was that of Robert “Bob” Paulson in David Fincher’s classic 1999 film Fight Club. An adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel of the same name, Bob’s death during “Project Mayhem” is a turning point in the protagonist’s (literally “the Narrator’s”) character arc. It leads him to turn against the eponymous Fight Club’s co-founder Tyler and come to the spoilery revelations at the heart of the film’s conclusion.

After his death, the Narrator reminds club members that Bob was a man and, as he says, “his name is Robert Paulson.” And like the members of Project Mayhem in the film, the internet has taken to chanting the posthumous epithet today. 

Many of the tweets simply read “His name is Robert Paulson,” along with images and gifs from the film. The most shared is his hug with the Narrator (Edward Norton) at a support group. 

Fans of the film and the actor are also revisiting clips of his performance, leaving comments on memorable scenes like his emotional meeting with the Narrator at a support group and, of course, the posthumous scene the hashtag comes from.

Michael Lee Aday is survived by his wife, Deborah Gillespie, and daughters Pearl and Amanda from a previous relationship.