"One of the Most Important Actors in History"... Donald Sutherland Passes Away

Acted in Numerous Works Including the Movie 'Hunger Games'
Son Is Kiefer Sutherland of '24' and 'Designated Survivor'
Son Mourns "One of the Most Important Actors in History"

Donald Sutherland, a Canadian-born Hollywood actor who left a strong impression playing the dictator President Snow in the movie 'The Hunger Games,' has passed away.

Canadian-born Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland passed away on the 20th (local time) due to a long illness. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 20th (local time), U.S. entertainment media Variety and others reported that Sutherland's agency CAA announced, "Sutherland passed away from an illness in Miami." He was 88 years old. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, also shared the news of his father's passing on his social media (SNS) on the same day. Kiefer mourned, saying, "Personally, I believe my father was one of the most important actors in film history," and added, "Whether it was a good role, a bad role, or an ugly role, he was never afraid and loved what he did."

A photo posted by Kiefer Sutherland, son of actor Donald Sutherland (right), in memory of his father. [Image source=Instagram capture]

Born in 1935 in Saint John, Canada, Donald Sutherland initially enrolled in the engineering department at the University of Toronto but later transferred to the English department, where he began acting on the school theater stage. After graduating in 1956, he studied acting seriously at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in the UK and appeared in West End theater productions and British TV programs. He made his Hollywood debut in 1967 with the film 'The Dirty Dozen,' and gained fame with the 1970 Robert Altman-directed film 'M.A.S.H.,' in which he played a leading role. 'M.A.S.H.' is a film set during the Korean War, depicting the chaos in a field hospital. He continued to gain attention with notable performances in 'Klute' (1971) and 'Don't Look Now' (1973), and freely moved between auteur films and blockbusters with works such as 'Animal House' (1978), 'Ordinary People' (1980), 'Eye of the Needle' (1981), 'JFK' (1991), 'The Italian Job' (2003), and 'Pride & Prejudice' (2005), maintaining a steady presence in diverse projects.

Among Sutherland's many works, the 'Hunger Games' series is well known to domestic audiences. He left a strong impression playing the dictator President Snow in this series.

Despite his acclaimed performances in numerous films, Sutherland never received an Academy Award nomination. However, the Academy awarded him an honorary Oscar in 2017. At the Emmy Awards, he won the Best Supporting Actor award in 1995 for the TV movie 'Citizen X,' and he received two Golden Globe Awards for Best Supporting Actor.

Sutherland had three marriages and fathered children Kiefer Sutherland, Rossif Sutherland, and Angus Sutherland, all of whom are actors. In particular, Kiefer Sutherland is a star actor well known for the '24' series and the 'Designated Survivor' series.