Sad news came from British actor Tom Wilkinson to his fans. The veteran actor passed away at the age of 75.
Tom Wilkinson won a Bafta for 1997's 'The Full Monty' and 26 years later, he reprised his role in the series adapted for television. Wilkinson received a total of six Bafta nominations, as well as two Oscar nominations for 'Michael Clayton' and 'In The Bedroom'.
In a statement, it was stated that Tom Wilkinson died suddenly while at home with his wife and family. The cause of death has not yet been announced.
"TOM WAS THE EPITOME OF ELEGANCE"
George Clooney, who starred with Tom Wilkinson in the 2007 film 'Michael Clayton', called the actor "the epitome of elegance". Praising his co-star in an interview with Variety Magazine, Clooney said, "Tom made every project better. He made every actor better. He was the epitome of grace and we will all miss him very much."
ABOUT TOM WILKINSON
In total, Tom Wilkinson has appeared in more than 130 film and TV productions, and has given very successful performances in period dramas such as 1995's 'Sense and Sensibility' and 2013's 'Belle', as well as portraying criminal masterminds in films such as 1998's Rush Hour opposite Jackie Chan or 2008's Guy Ritchie's 'RocknRolla'.
He also won an Emmy for his portrayal of US political figure 'Benjamin Franklin' in the 2008 mini-series 'John Adams' and an Emmy nomination for his role as John F Kennedy's father 'Joe' in The Kennedys. In 2014, he portrayed President Lyndon B Johnson in the film Selma and starred in 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' and 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'.
After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), Tom Wilkinson turned to theatre and television. He landed his first big screen role in 1986 in the miniseries 'First Among Equals', based on the best-selling novel by Jeffrey Archer.
He married Diana Hardcastle, with whom he worked on camera in that project, in 1988. The couple played the role of husband and wife in 'The Kennedys' in 2011 and the action film 'Good People' in 2014. The couple had two daughters, Alice and Molly.
Off-screen, Tom Wilkinson was also known as someone who chose to live on his own, refusing fame. In an interview, he said: "I like to go out on the street and walk around freely and not be recognised." At the 2005 New Year Honours, Tom Wilkinson was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to theatre and film.
