“Michael Clayton,” “Shakespeare in Love,” and “The Full Monty” were among the films for which Tom Wilkinson was nominated for two Academy Awards. He passed away. Tom Wilkinson the Full Monty actor died at the age of 75.
At the time, he was 75.
Nancy Seltzer, publicist for Wilkinson, verified the information in a statement to CNN.
“It is with profound sorrow that the family of Tom Wilkinson informs you of his untimely death on December 30 at his residence. “Alongside him were his spouse and family,” the statement continued. “The family requests privacy at this time.”
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The cause of death could not be promptly determined.
The English-born performer had appeared in approximately 130 films. The principal role he played in “In the Bedroom” opposite Sissy Spacek earned him his first Academy Award nomination in 2002. For his supporting character in the 2007 film “Michael Clayton,” Wilkinson received his second Oscar nomination.
From “Girl with a Pearl Earring” to “Duplicity,” Wilkinson appeared in numerous acclaimed films. He was renowned for his skill in portraying characters from different periods, as well as in contemporary melodrama and suspense films.
Early in the 1990s, he established himself with critically acclaimed films such as “Sense and Sensibility,” which co-starred Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, and “Wilde.”
Wilkinson has also distinguished himself in “Clayton” opposite George Clooney as a disoriented, guilt-stricken attorney, and in “Valkyrie” (2008), which starred Tom Cruise, and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004), where he portrayed a kooky doctor who manipulates the realities of his patients and which also featured Winslet and Jim Carrey, and a high-ranking Nazi officer entangled in the plot to kill Hitler, both of which were starring Tom Cruise.
However, it was arguably “The Full Monty” (1997) that established Wilkinson as a significant player in Hollywood; he almost declined the part.
In 2011, he told The Guardian, “I was simultaneously offered the lead role in a television series and a possible part in a low-budget film.”
“When I called a friend, he instructed me to “Take the television, take the television.” But I disregarded his recommendation, and the resulting television needed better quality.
Robert Carlyle co-starred in the blockbuster success “Monty,” which also produced a recent Disney+ series revival in which Wilkinson appeared briefly.
The actor was widely recognized and praised for his additional television work, frequently portraying prominent political and historical figures.
He was awarded an Emmy for his performance as Benjamin Franklin in the 2008 “John Adams” he also received a nomination for the award for portraying Joe, the father of John F. Kennedy, in the 2011 miniseries “The Kennedys.” Wilkinson portrayed Lyndon B. Johnson, president, in the 2014 film “Selma.”
However, beyond politics, the in-demand character actor also established a notable reputation for portraying antagonists. In 2005’s “Batman Begins,” he portrayed mob leader Carmine Falcone, the inaugural installment in director Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. Before that, he appeared opposite Jackie Chan in “Rush Hour” as a criminal mastermind.
The actor, who was born in Leeds, England, in 1948, reportedly developed an early interest in drama when he was requested to direct a play at the age of 18.
He stated, “For the first time in my life, I began doing something I could do.”
“I realized that it wasn’t necessarily these types of southern middle-class individuals who were cast as actors; individuals like myself were too.” And I never changed my opinion once I became confident.”
Wilkinson, who subsequently concluded that he was “suited” for the acting profession, had an intriguing perspective on his methodology.
In 2008, he stated in an interview with The Guardian, “My temperament is well-suited to the act of acting.” “I tend towards fatalism. “You can do very little to prevent it from occurring; if it does not occur, it will never occur.”
On Saturday, CNN received a statement from Wilkinson’s “Michael Clayton” co-star George Clooney, distributed by a representative of the actor. Clooney remarked, “Tom improved every endeavor. Every actor was enhanced. He embodied sophistication and grace, and all will sorely mourn his passing.
Two daughters and his spouse, Diana Hardcastle, survive Wilkinson.
