Status: 20.06.2024 20:33
His film and television career spanned many decades – now Canadian actor Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88. He was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2017 for his life’s work.
Canadian actor Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88. His son Kiefer Sutherland, who is also a successful actor, announced this on Thursday in the online service X.
Wide spectrum as an actor
Donald Sutherland has played in a number of popular films, including “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Night Before Christmas.” He is also known as the ruthless President Snow in the “Hunger Games” film series. Since the 1960s, the father of five has played in more than 150 films and TV productions – and has served every genre with enormous versatility.
The 1967 war classic “The Dirty Dozen” was his first international success. Robert Altman’s military satire “MASH” was another hit. In 1971 he shone as a private detective in Alan Pakula’s psychological thriller “Klute” alongside Jane Fonda.
In the film “The Gondolas in Black,” Sutherland played the restorer John Baxter, who is overwhelmed by paranormal phenomena.
He made headlines with a love scene in Nicolas Roeg’s horror study “The Gondolas in Black” (1973). Sutherland and Julie Christie played a married couple mourning their dead daughter. A legendary sex scene in the film was believed by many to be real, which Sutherland and others always denied.
Sutherland excelled under many great directors
Federico Fellini made him “Casanova,” Bertolucci made him the fascist landowner Attila in the drama “1900.” Robert Redford brought him in front of the camera for his directorial debut “Ordinary Family.” He cracked safes with Charlize Theron in the crime thriller “The Italian Job.” Everyone wanted to work with Sutherland, including legendary directors such as Claude Chabrol, Louis Malle, Ken Russell, John Schlesinger and Werner Herzog.
In Hollywood, Sutherland was immortalized with a star on the Walk of Fame in 2011, right next to his son Kiefer’s plaque. But the highest honor – an Oscar – never came. Despite his many outstanding roles, Sutherland has never been nominated for an Oscar. In 2017, the Film Academy honored him outside of the competition with an honorary Oscar for his life’s work.
Sutherland remained active as an actor until his death. “I love to work. I love to work passionately,” Sutherland said in a 1998 interview. “I love to feel my hand fit into the glove of another character. I feel an enormous freedom – time stops for me. I’m not as crazy as I used to be, but I’m still a little bit crazy.”
