Iconic actor Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88 after a long illness. The sad news arrives to us via Deadline. With over 200 film and television credits to his name, Sutherland became a household name in the ’70s. All thanks to films like The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H, Klute, and the suspense classic Don’t Look Now. The Canadian-born actor also starred in movies such as JFK, Backdraft, and Pride and Prejudice, to name a few. Donald Sutherland capped off a legendary career with a villainous turn as President Snow in The Hunger Games franchise. Of course, he’s also the father of another iconic actor in his own right, Kiefer Sutherland. We’re very sorry to hear about the death of this legend.
Donald Sutherland was born in 1935 in New Brunswick, Canada. At 20 years old, he departed Canada for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Not too long after excelling there, he began appearing in several horror films with the iconic Christopher Lee. His big break in film came in 1968, starring in the blockbuster war movie The Dirty Dozen. He soon became one of Hollywood’s most in-demand actors. He starred in serious dramas like Ordinary People, and raunchy comedies like Animal House, proving his versatility. Sutherland also racked up an impressive list of sci-fi and horror roles, like the 1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Puppet Masters, and as Buffy Summers’ first Watcher in the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Thanks to his outspoken views about his opposition to the Vietnam War, Donald Sutherland found himself on a CIA watchlist in the early ’70s, right as he became world famous. None of this hurt his career, though. Aside from his acting roles, in his later years, Sutherland became a blogger for The Huffington Post, chronicling the 2008 Presidential election. Despite his incredibly impressive resume, somehow, Donald Sutherland never received an Academy Award. However, the Academy granted him an honorary Oscar in 2017 for his lifetime of work. However, Sutherland won several Emmys and a pair of Golden Globes as well. Sutherland is survived by his wife, Canadian actress Francine Racette, and his five children. Although Sutherland’s death is sad news indeed, few are likely to forget his storied career.