Last night, legendary actor Sir John Hurt passed away three days after celebrating his 77th birthday. His six-decade career included roles in such classics as “A Man for All Seasons,” “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” “I, Claudius,” “Doctor Who,” “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” and the “Harry Potter” franchise. His appearance in “Alien” gave us one of the most memorable and classic scenes of all time and his performances in “Midnight Express” and “The Elephant Man” earned him deserved Oscar nominations.
Obituaries and reactions from mourning celebrities
“Harry Potter” author JK Rowling tweeted: “So very sad to hear that the immensely talented and deeply beloved John Hurt has died. My thoughts are with his family and friends.” Mel Brooks, who directed Hurt in “History of the World Part I” and “Spaceballs,” tweeted: “It was terribly sad today to learn of John Hurt’s passing. He was a truly magnificent talent.”
“24” star Kiefer Sutherland sends his “deepest sympathies” to Hurt’s loved ones and called him “a dear friend.” Stephen Fry called Hurt’s passing “terrible news” and said he was a “great on the stage, small screen and big” and “a great man.” “Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood tweeted: “Very sad to hear of John Hurt’s passing.
It was such an honor to have watched you work, sir.” Newly Oscar-nominated actress Viola Davis simply tweeted: “RIP John Hurt. Always great.” Jamie Lee Curtis said, of Hurt’s performance in “Midnight Express,” “Nothing better. Ever.”
“Captain America” star Chris Evans said that Hurt was “one of the most powerful, giving, and effortlessly real actors I’ve ever worked with,” and called him a “remarkable human being.” Actor Alfred Molina called Hurt “a gloriously talented actor, one of the best, of this or any era.” “Clerks” director Kevin Smith said that Hurt was an “actor genius” and singled out his performance in “A Man for All Seasons,” one of the films that initially inspired Smith to write.
Hurt suffered from pancreatic cancer
Hurt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2015 and began treatment immediately, and despite this, he still continued to work for the rest of his life. The doctors told him they were “optimistic” and his cancer was in remission by October 2015, but last night, he passed away in his Norfolk home. His final release before his death was the Jackie Kennedy biopic “Jackie,” and he appears as Neville Chamberlain in the upcoming “Darkest Hour.”
