Tom Wilkinson, the British actor best known for his roles in “The Full Monty” and “Batman Begins,” has died at the age of 75.
“It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30th,” a statement obtained by Pvnew reads.
“His wife and family were with him.”
Wilkinson was born in Leeds, England in 1948 and began acting at the age of 18.
“For the first time in my life, I started doing something I knew how to do,” he once said, according to BBC, who first reported the news of his death.
“I realized 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.”
Wilkinson honed his craft at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and landed his first television role in 1975 on the series called “2nd House.”
His first major role came over a decade later when in 1986, he landed a spot on the mini-series, “First Among Equals.”
His time on the drama series not only led to more professional opportunities but shaped the rest of his personal life.
The job brought him to his future wife, Diana Hardcastle, who was an actress on the series, and the pair wed in 1988.
They welcomed two daughters during their marriage, Alice and Molly.
The dynamic duo also went on to play husband and wife in 2011’s “The Kennedys” and 2014’s “Good People.”
The actor won a BAFTA for his supporting role of Gerald, a steel worker who joins a group of men who decide to start stripping to make money, in 1997’s “The Full Monty.”
He reprised his role in the Disney+ miniseries of the same name this year.
Furthermore, he was the proud owner of one Emmy for playing Benjamin Franklin in the 2008 mini-series “John Adams.”
He picked up three more Emmy nominations for 2003’s “Normal,” 2008’s “Recount” and 2011’s “The Kennedys,” in which he played John F. Kennedy’s father, Joe.
Wilkinson was also nominated for Oscars for his roles in 2007’s “Michael Clayton,” in which he acted opposite George Clooney, and 2001’s “In The Bedroom.”
He also notably starred in 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love” and 2011’s “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.”
In 2005, the accomplished actor was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to drama.
