According to his son, on Thursday, the mysterious Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, whose long career included roles in films like “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Hunger Games,” passed away. He was eighty-eight.
Actor Kiefer Sutherland posted on X, “With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away.”
With his unique appearance and penetrating gaze, the elder Sutherland gave a depth and mystery to the vast array of parts he played over the course of five decades in film.
He has portrayed handsome leading men, villains, and antiheroes. Most recently, he gained notoriety among a younger audience by playing the devious President Snow in the “Hunger Games” film series.
“In my opinion, he was among the most significant actors in cinema history. Never be afraid of a role—whether it ugly, good, or horrible. One can never ask for more than that—he did what he loved and loved what he did. Kiefer Sutherland wrote, “A life well lived.”
Following a self-described “meandering” beginning to his acting career, Donald Sutherland gained notoriety in Robert Aldrich’s “The Dirty Dozen,” in which twelve prisoners are assigned to execute what seems to be a suicide mission in an occupied France.
Producers of “MASH” were drawn to Sutherland’s sly charms when he costarred with actors like Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, and Telly Savalas.
Sutherland became well-known in the 1970s in America thanks to the subtle satire on the Vietnam War in which he starred opposite Elliott Gould. This role also paved the way for a long career that would see him collaborate with some of the biggest names in entertainment.
