The legendary Canadian actor Donald Sutherland, known for his iconic roles in films like The Hunger Games and Don’t Look Now, passed away at 88 after a prolonged illness. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, shared the heartbreaking news, saying, “With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. In my opinion, he was one of the most significant actors in the history of cinema. Never intimidated by any role, whether good, bad, or ugly, he loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Sutherland’s career, which spanned more than fifty years, boasts nearly 200 credits. The announcement of his death led to an outpouring of support and tributes from the entertainment industry. Actor Rob Lowe, who worked alongside Sutherland in the miniseries Salem’s Lot, called him “one of our greatest actors.” Lowe reflected on his experience working with Sutherland, writing on Twitter, “It was my honor to work with him many years ago, and I will never forget his charisma and talent.”
Today we lost one of our greatest actors, Donald Sutherland. It was my honor to work with him many years ago, and I will never forget his charisma and ability. If you want a master class in acting, watch him in “Ordinary People”. My condolences to Kiefer. pic.twitter.com/qjMz69Nraq
— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) June 20, 2024
Cary Elwes, a co-star in the 2001 television film Uprising, expressed his grief on Instagram, stating he was “devastated” by Sutherland’s passing. “Our hearts are breaking for you,” he wrote to Kiefer. “So grateful to have known and worked with him. Sending our love.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reminisced about feeling “deeply, deeply star-struck” when he first met Sutherland. “My thoughts go out to Kiefer and the entire Sutherland family, as well as all Canadians who are no doubt saddened to learn, as I am right now,” Trudeau shared. “He was a man with a strong presence, a brilliance in his craft, and truly a great Canadian artist.”
Ron Howard, who directed Sutherland in the 1991 film Backdraft, praised him as “one of the most intelligent, interesting, and engrossing film actors of all time.”
Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Sutherland initially worked as a radio news reporter before moving to London in 1957 to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He began his acting career with small roles in British film and television. His early breakthrough roles included appearances in war films like The Dirty Dozen (1967), Kelly’s Heroes, and MASH* (both from 1970).
In Alan J. Pakula’s 1971 thriller Klute, Sutherland starred alongside Jane Fonda, playing a detective whose investigation is aided by a high-priced call girl—the pair dated for two years. Throughout the 1970s, he continued to take on diverse roles, from an IRA member in The Eagle Has Landed to a pot-smoking college professor in National Lampoon’s Animal House and the lead in the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
The 1980s saw Sutherland deliver a memorable performance as the father of a troubled teenager in the Oscar-winning film Ordinary People.
Robert Altman’s first masterpiece, MASH*, is infamous for his clashes with its stars, Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland. The two actors portrayed Trapper John McIntyre and Hawkeye Pierce, U.S. surgeons attempting to maintain their sanity while treating wounded soldiers during the Korean War. Gould eventually reconciled with Altman, leading to multiple collaborations, but Sutherland’s feud with the director prevented any future partnerships. Gould later reflected,
“In hindsight, Donald and I were two elitist, arrogant actors who didn’t grasp Altman’s genius.” Nevertheless, Sutherland delivered a caustic performance as Trapper John’s partner in crime, constantly making snide, wry jokes about the military’s absurdity and the senselessness of war. Sutherland once mentioned that Alan Alda, who played Hawkeye on the long-running TV show, thanked him for paving the way for his career.