Actor Tom Wilkinson, nominated for Academy Awards for his roles in Michael Clayton and In The Bedroom, has died at the age of 75. His agent released a statement saying, “It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30. His wife and family were with him. The family asks for privacy at this time.”
Although his popularity took off with the success of The Full Monty, Wilkinson’s career as an actor spanned almost fifty years, with small one-off roles in British TV dramas before moving into more cinematic projects. Some of his most notable films include Rush Hour, Shakespeare In Love, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Patriot. He also briefly ventured into video game projects, with a reprisal of his role in Batman Begins as crime boss Carmine Falcone as well as playing Superintendent Of Police Thomas Pendrew in Sleeping Dogs.
Wilkinson’s career was very much that of a character actor, and yet his range was undeniable, moving from comedy to drama and back without ever a definable “type.” Once asked how he decided which roles to take, Wilkinson responded, “The first simple thing is: Am I going to enjoy playing this character?… Its a purely instinctive decision.”
GameLuster extends our condolences to Mr. Wilkinson’s friends and family.
