Terence Stamp, British actor in Superman, The Limey and more, dies at 87
Terence Stamp, the British actor who made a name for himself by delivering range through a distinct voice and chiseled face, has passed away. He was 87.
Despite an admirable and budding career in his native England, it would be his work in Hollywood fare like Superman and its first sequel that gave Terence Stamp international recognition, playing General Zod in both films in a way that shaped so much about what we love about the first two movies. But he was actually nearly on his way in that scope well before that, as he was considered to take over the part of James Bond after Sean Connery temporarily stepped down. Instead, George Lazenby would lead On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, although we do have to wonder what sort of trajectory the franchise would have taken with Stamp as 007.
Terence Stamp made his debut in 1962’s Billy Budd, earning what would be his first and only Academy Award nomination, in a title role that also earned him a Golden Globe and also a nod in the Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles category at the BAFTAs. The BAFTAs would recognize him much later with a Best Actor nomination for 1994’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, in which he played a transgender woman to tremendous acclaim.
In addition to these signature roles, Terence Stamp had a number of performances that are either downright terrific or, at the very least, beneficial to the films: gangster Willie Parker in The Hit (1984), rancher John Tunstall in Young Guns (1988), imposing criminal Wilson in The Limey (1999), and so many more. That he could leave a mark in movies where he wasn’t the lead – Wall Street (1987), Valkyrie (2008), Last Night in Soho (2021) – says so much about his presence, too. And why not some special love for Link, too?
In a statement to Reuters, his family wrote, “He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. We ask for privacy at this sad time.”
What is your all-time favorite Terence Stamp performance? Share that and your condolences in the comments section below.
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