Actor Donald Sutherland has died following a long illness, his family has confirmed. He was 88 years old.
His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland shared a tribute to his dad on Instagram, writing, “With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film.
“Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Across his six-decade career, Sutherland garnered over 200 film and television credits, in beloved projects such as The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice, Don’t Look Now and MASH.
Tributes from the actor’s friends, colleagues and admirers were quick to flow in, including from US President Joe Biden, who described Sutherland as, “a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and one-of-a-kind actor who inspired and entertained the world for decades.”
Rob Lowe, who starred alongside Sutherland in the 2004 miniseries Salem’s Lot, describing him as “our greatest actors.”
Sutherland’s The Leisure Seeker co-star, Helen Mirren, shared a statement following the news. She wrote, “Donald Sutherland was one of the smartest actors I ever worked with. He had a wonderful enquiring brain, and a great knowledge on a wide variety of subjects. He combined this great intelligence with a deep sensitivity, and with a seriousness about his profession as an actor. This all made him into the legend of film that he became. He was my colleague and became my friend.”
Mirren concluded, “I will miss his presence in this world.”
His Klute co-star Jane Fonda took to Instagram with a tribute of her own. The actress described Sutherland as “a brilliant actor and a complex man,” and added that she is “heartbroken.”
Michael Douglas stared a photo of him and Sutherland in the 1994 mystery thriller Disclosure, calling him “a lovely, talented, and curious man.”
Tom Blythe—who played the young version of Sutherland’s Hunger Games character, Coriolanus Snow, in last year’s prequel—said Sutherland, “came about as close to mastering the craft of acting as anyone gets.”
While Blythe had never met Sutherland, he noted his profound impact, adding, “So many genius performances. I never had the honor of knowing him personally, but it was the honor of a lifetime to follow in his footsteps. Thank you sir for birthing one of the great movie characters of all time.”
Singer Nancy Sinatra retweeted an article about the news, commenting, “This hurts. godspeed, Donald Sutherland.”
Sex and the City alum, Kim Cattrall also made a note on social media, commenting on a post about the actor, “Such sad news! Was always a favorite. Was always wonderful. Broke my heart in Ordinary People RIP x”.
Sutherland is survived by his wife Francine Racette, four children and four grandchildren.
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