Movie & TV Star Terence Stamp Dead at 87

in Movie

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Terence Stamp in ‘The Limey’. Photo: Artisan Entertainment.

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Actor Terence Stamp has died at the age of 87.
He was well known for his portrayal of General Zod in ‘Superman’ and ‘Superman II’.
He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ‘Billy Budd’.

Terence Stamp, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in ‘Billy Budd‘, has died at the age of 87.

Known for his iconic role as General Zod in ‘Superman‘ and ‘Superman II‘, the British actor has nearly one hundred credits to his name and has left his mark on the Entertainment industry. While his family confirmed his passing, they did not offer details as to the cause of death.

“The version you have never seen.”

Run Time: 1 hr 56 min

Budget: $54,000,000

His family made the following statement:

“He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. We ask for privacy at this sad time.”

Terence Stamp: Early Life

(L to R) Terence Stamp and Carol White in ‘The Limey’. Photo: Vic Films Productions.

Born July 22, 1938 in Stepney, London, England, UK, Terence Stamp spent his early years watching American films and dreaming of becoming an actor himself. He attended the Webber Douglas School of Dramatic Art under a scholarship, during which he landed the role of the title character in ‘Billy Budd’, a performance that would earn him an Oscar nomination.

This was just the beginning, as he landed multiple film roles immediately following this film, including those in ‘The Collector‘, ‘Poor Cow‘, and ‘Spirits of the Dead‘.

Terence Stamp: Film Career

(L to R) Jack O’Halloran, Terence Stamp and Sarah Douglas in ‘Superman II’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Stamp’s acting skills nearly landed him the role of James Bond after Sean Connery‘s departure, but he was eventually passed over. After this, he took a break from acting to travel the world, but returned to the spotlight after being cast in what would become a DC classic.

Easily one of Terence Stamp’s most notable and iconic roles is that of the villainous General Zod in ‘Superman’, which he replrised in ‘Superman II’. He brought this dark and sinister character to life in a way that had DC fans around the world terrified of him.

He garned a lot of praise for his portrayal of Bernadette, a transgender woman, in ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert‘. There have recently been reports of a sequel to the 1994 film being in pre-production, with Stamp to make an appearance.

Years after his time as General Zod, he would return to the world of DC as a much different character, Kal-El’s loving father, Jor-El, of whom he provided the voice, in the TV series ‘Smallville‘.

Terence Stamp: Legacy

Terence Stamp in ‘The Limey’. Photo: Artisan Entertainment.

Terence Stamp was married to Elizabeth O’Rourke from 2002 to 2008, however the two never had any children. Stamp had expressed an interest in having a daughter, which never happened. However, he was open about how much he loved spending time with his nieces’ children.

Terence Stamp will be remembered fondly for his many iconic television and movie roles, especially those of the villains, including Wilson, a tough ex-con, in ‘The Limey‘.