Canadian-born actor Donald Sutherland passed away on 20 June 2024 at 88.
Star of M*A*S*H and more recently, The Hunger Games, let’s take a look at this versatile actor’s journey throughout his career.
His Son, Actor Kiefer Sutherland, Shared the News of His Passing
Donald Sutherland’s, Kiefer Sutherland, announced his father’s passing in an Instagram post on 20 June 2024.
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Sutherland’s death comes after a battle with a long illness.
In Kiefer Sutherland’s caption, he shared that his father had passed away, saying that he personally thought he was one of the most important actors in the history of film.
He also added that Donald Sutherland was “never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly” and that he “loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.”
Following his post, many people took to social media to offer their condolences, including fellow actor Priyanka Chopra and singer-songwriter Michael Buble.
Donald Sutherland’s Career
Like what many of the tributes on social media shared, Sutherland had an illustrious career that impacted the film industry as we see it today.
Starting his career in the film industry as a radio news reporter, Sutherland had graduated from the University of Toronto with an engineering degree.
In 1957, he followed his dreams of becoming an actor by travelling to London to study and work in theatre.
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His journey in film and television saw him in small roles alongside big names like Christopher Lee.
Interestingly enough, one of the first films he was in was directed by Warren Kiefer, who Sutherland later named his son after.
His breakthrough role came with The Dirty Dozen, which was a World War II film about 12 condemned soldiers being trained as a crack commando team.
Sutherland did a stellar job in his role in The Dirty Dozen which resulted in him winning one of the lead roles in the hit series M*A*S*H, a satirical piece about war medics during the Korean War.
He also starred in multiple award-winning films, like the Academy Award-winning thriller Klute in 1971.
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During this film, he starts a relationship with co-star Jane Fonda, although this relationship does not last.
After establishing himself as a top-class actor, Sutherland’s better-known film appearances included A Dry White Season with Marlon Brando and Susan Sarandon, as well as Backdraft with Robert de Niro.
More recently, people might recognise Sutherland from his role in The Hunger Games trilogy.
He played the role of President Coriolanus Snow, the feared fascist dictator who led the country Panem in The Hunger Games universe.
Having read the books and watched the movies, Sutherland’s portrayal of President Snow evoked a sense of fear with his acting and was a memorable performance.
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When he had previously spoken to the BBC, he had said that acting is a passionate endeavour, adding that “retirement for actors is spelt ‘DEATH’.”
His dedication to his craft was evident, and if you’d like to find out more about his perspectives and life, his memoir, Made Up, But Still True, is due to be published this November 2024.
Sutherland’s impact on stories and the people watching them has been immense and he will be dearly missed.
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