British actor Tom Wilkinson, well known for the films The Full Monty and Batman Begins, has reached the second anniversary of his death. He was 75.
On Dec. 30, 2023, Wilkinson's family said in a statement, "We are very saddened to announce the sudden death of Wilkinson at his home on Dec. 30." At the time of death, his wife and family were reportedly with him.
Wilkinson was born in Leeds, England, in 1948 and began acting at 18.
According to the BBC, which first reported the news of his death, he once looked back on his acting career saying, "For the first time in my life I began to do the work I know how to do (acting)." He added, "I realized that the kind of person who can be an actor is not necessarily only the southern middle-class type. It could be someone like me."
He trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and in 1975 took his first TV role in the series 2nd House.
His first major role began 10 years later in 1986 when he appeared in the miniseries First Between Equals.
He was best known for his roles in The Full Monty and Batman Begins.
Time spent on drama series not only provided more career opportunities but also affected his private life. He met Diana Hardcastle, an actress in the series who became his wife, and the two married in 1988.
In the 1997 film The Full Monty, he won a BAFTA for his role as Gerald, a steelworker who decided to strip to make money and joined the group. In Batman Begins, he played the leader of a mafia organization that dominated Gotham City, opposing Batman.
He also drew attention for appearing in Shakespeare in Love in 1998 and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011, and in 2005 he was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of his services to drama.
Wilkinson was also nominated for an Academy Award for his performances opposite George Clooney in Michael Clayton in 2007 and in In the Bedroom in 2001. In 2008 he played Benjamin Franklin in the miniseries John Adams and won an Emmy.
[Photo] ©Gettyimages (unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited)
[OSEN]