Two-time Oscar-nominated British actor Tom Wilkinson has died at 75. His death was confirmed by Wilkinson’s agent, Nancy Seltzer, who shared the statement with CNN on behalf of his family.
Born in Leeds in the northern English county of Yorkshire, Wilkinson trained at the drama school Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Mostly known for his roles in The Full Monty and Michael Clayton, Wilkinson launched his career in 1986 when he got his first leading screen role in the mini-series First Among Equals. His wife, Diana Hardcastle, whom he met in the series, would then later play his on-screen wife for other films in the future: The Kennedys (2011) and Good People (2014).
Wilkinson marked himself as a star in the 90s with the successful films Wilde, The Full Monty, and the Oscar-winning period drama Sense and Sensibility. A couple of years later, during the 2000s, the British-born star showed his range in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in 2004, 2007’s Michael Clayton alongside George Clooney, and the Tom Cruise-starring thriller Valkyrie in 2008.
The well-established actor also appeared in Christopher Nolan’s first installment, Batman Begins, and in Rush Hour opposite Jackie Chan.
“I’ve always been quite successful,” Wilkinson said in a 2011 interview with the Guardian. “I was a leading performer in stage and getting great roles on television. I saw a lot of my friends doing films, and there’s a bit of you that says: ‘I want to sit down with the big boys.’”
Wilkinson is survived by his wife, Diana Hardcastle, and his two daughters, Alice Wilkinson and Mollie Wilkinson.
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