Renowned British actor Tom Wilkinson, celebrated for his roles in iconic films such as “The Full Monty,” “Shakespeare In Love,” and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” has died at the age of 75.
The news of his sudden demise was confirmed in a statement released by his family, revealing that he passed away at home surrounded by his wife and loved ones.
Wilkinson’s illustrious career garnered him widespread acclaim, earning a Bafta for his role in “The Full Monty” and securing two Oscar nominations for “Michael Clayton” and “In The Bedroom.” His versatility was evident in over 130 film and TV credits, spanning from period dramas like “Sense and Sensibility” and “Belle” to dynamic roles as criminal masterminds in movies like “Rush Hour” and “RocknRolla.”
George Clooney, who shared the screen with Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton,” praised the late actor as “the epitome of elegance,” emphasizing his transformative impact on every project and fellow actors. Wilkinson’s contributions extended to Emmy-winning performances, including portraying Benjamin Franklin in the mini-series “John Adams” and earning an Emmy nomination for his role as Joe Kennedy in “The Kennedys.”
His unexpected passing on Saturday elicited tributes from fellow actors and industry figures. Robert Carlyle, his co-star in “The Full Monty,” described him as a “real titan of an actor,” while Phil Davis and Will Young hailed him as “powerful and delicate” and “British acting royalty,” respectively.
US filmmaker Scott Derrickson remembered Wilkinson as an “amazing talent” and shared a fond memory of an unexpected kiss on the set of “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” Tom Wilkinson’s legacy leaves an indelible mark on the world of cinema.
US film maker Scott Derrickson said Wilkinson was “an amazing talent” and recalled a time when the actor gave him a surprise kiss on the lips on the set of The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
Born in Leeds before moving to Canada and then Cornwall in childhood, he found his calling at the age of 18 when he was asked to direct a play.
“For the first time in my life, I started doing something I knew how to do,” he said.
“I realised it wasn’t necessarily just these southern middle-class types that got to be actors; it could possibly be people like me. And once I knew, I never changed my mind.”
He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) before following the well-worn path to theatre and television work. In 1986, he got his first major screen role in mini-series First Among Equals, based on Jeffrey Archer’s best-selling novel.
Playing alongside him was Diana Hardcastle. The couple married in 1988, and also went on to play husband and wife in The Kennedys in 2011, and in 2014 action film Good People. The couple had two daughters, Alice and Molly.
When he portrayed Pecksniff in Martin Chuzzlewit for the BBC in 1994, Wilkinson said: “I looked at it and I thought, I can’t get it any better than that. It came out exactly as I meant it to come out. It won a couple of prizes and I thought, I can act, there’s no question.”
Three years later, he was cast as a former factory foreman who joins fellow unemployed workmates in staging a strip show in The Full Monty.
“I was simultaneously offered the lead in a TV series and a possible part in a low-budget movie,” he told The Guardian.
“I remember phoning a friend and he said, ‘Take the TV, take the TV’. But I didn’t follow his advice, and the TV turned out to be crap.”
The low-budget movie, meanwhile, turned out to be the highest-grossing British film up to that point, and took his career to a new level on both sides of the Atlantic.
Wilkinson received high critical acclaim for Todd Field’s 2001 US domestic drama In the Bedroom, in which he played a bereaved father. He was nominated for an Oscar for best actor.
He hoped the film would do two things for him, he later said. “One, [prove] I could play the lead role in a movie. Two, I could play an American lead role. And it did both of those things.”
The actor earned his second Academy Award nomination for his supporting role in Tony Gilroy’s 2007 legal thriller Michael Clayton, starring George Clooney.
Wilkinson’s other credits included Batman Begins, The Patriot, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Gathering Storm, Black Knight, Valkyrie, The Lone Ranger and Denial.
He also provided the voice of the fox in the TV adaptation of children’s best-seller The Gruffalo.
His long term agent Lou Coulson has described him in interviews as “one of the best”.
Off screen, Wilkinson was known for being down-to-earth and keeping a relatively low profile. He said in an interview: “I like to go to Waitrose and not be recognised.”
In the 2005 New Year Honours, Wilkinson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama.