Donald Sutherland, the celebrated and prolific actor known for his roles in numerous beloved films spanning five decades, has passed away at the age of 88.
Sutherland’s career encompassed early standout performances in The Dirty Dozen and MASH, acclaimed roles in Oscar-winning films such as Klute and Ordinary People, and his memorable portrayal as a villain in the Hunger Games franchise.
The Emmy Award-winning actor died today at his residence in Miami after battling a prolonged illness, as confirmed by his agency CAA to Deadline.
Donald Sutherland was born on July 17, 1935, in New Brunswick, Canada, and later moved to Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. During his childhood, he faced several serious illnesses, including polio, rheumatic fever, and spinal meningitis.
Leaving Canada to pursue his interest in acting, he attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and soon began finding roles in television and low-budget films.
He achieved a breakthrough in Hollywood with his role in the classic war film The Dirty Dozen, alongside a cast that included Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine, and Jim Brown. Released in 1967, the film was the fifth highest-grossing of that year.
After relocating from London to Hollywood, Donald Sutherland secured one of his most memorable roles in the 1970 anti-war comedy-drama MASH, where he originated the character “Hawkeye” Pierce. MASH emerged as one of the most successful films of the decade and is revered as a classic.
Throughout the 1970s, Sutherland established himself as a leading man in Hollywood, starring in Oscar-winning films such as Klute opposite Jane Fonda, the psychological horror Don’t Look Now, and the remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He also appeared in the popular comedy Animal House.
In 1980, he delivered a standout performance in Robert Redford’s Ordinary People, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. His notable roles continued with films such as Backdraft, JFK, Six Degrees of Separation, The Italian Job, and Pride and Prejudice.
Sutherland also found success on television, earning an Emmy Award for his role in the 1995 film Citizen X, and a Golden Globe for his performance in the television film Path to War.
A new generation of audiences discovered Sutherland through The Hunger Games, the popular dystopian film series where he portrayed the villainous President Coriolanus Snow.
Despite never receiving an Oscar nomination, he was honored with an Academy Honorary Award in 2017, “for a lifetime of unforgettable characters portrayed with unwavering authenticity.” Additionally, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011 and on the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2000.
Sutherland was married three times. He shared a 52-year marriage with actress Francine Racette until his passing. Previously, he was married to Lois May Hardwick and Shirley Douglas. He also had a well-known relationship with his Klute co-star Jane Fonda.
He was a father to five children, notably his son Kiefer Sutherland, renowned for his role as Jack Bauer in 24.
In 2017, Kiefer Sutherland told The Hollywood Reporter,”I was too young to go watch my father’s films in the cinema,By the time I hit 20, VHS was available and a friend of my fathers had a lot of his films. In three days I watched Don’t Look Know, Klute, M*A*S*H, Kelly’s Heroes, 1900 and Fellini’s Casanova.”
“It was such a wide spectrum of characters, and I remember calling him up and I felt really badly that I grew up not knowing what a profoundly special actor he was, I felt horribly guilty of that. As a young actor, I had never known or seen another actor who’ve done characters so diverse either.”
Rest in peace to the iconic actor Donald Sutherland💔
