Pierce Brosnan is paying tribute to Sir Roger Moore, the James Bond who came before him.
In a statement to PEOPLE, the Tomorrow Never Dies actor said, “Sir Roger Moore was the greatest Bond of his time.”
“He embraced the role with an easy charm and grace that let us all in on the game,” the statement read. “He saved the world seven times and then went on to become an even greater man working to ‘save the children’ with UNICEF.”
Brosnan continued, “He never forgot the audience and we shall never forget him. I am proud to have followed in your footsteps Sir Roger. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and children.”
The actor, 64, also took to Instagram Tuesday, posting a photo of the two on set. “It is indeed with a heavy heart that I hear the news of your passing this morning,” he wrote in the caption. “You were a big part of my life, from The Saint to James Bond… you were a magnificent James Bond and one that lead the way for me.”
Moore died in Switzerland on Tuesday. He was 89.
The star’s children broke the news in a statement uploaded to Twitter, noting that Moore passed away after a “short but brave battle with cancer.”
“We are all devastated,” Moore’s family tweeted alongside the statement.
A private funeral for the star will be held in Monaco “in accordance with our father’s wishes,” the family added.