Donald Sutherland, the veteran actor whose career stretched back to the late 1960s and included an array of classics across a wide variety of genres (The Dirty Dozen, MASH, The Day of the Locust, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, National Lampoon’s Animal House, Ordinary People… and that’s just the first decade or so of his film work; he was also a TV and stage performer), has died at the age of 88.
The news was confirmed by Variety via Sutherland’s agency. While cinephiles of all stripes appreciated Sutherland’s work—he brought an intelligence and dignity to all his characters, plus a wide range (intimidating, mischievous, world-weary…) of nuances depending on the role—genre fans will always especially appreciate his work in sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. Titles in those realms include, of course, his stint playing President Coriolanus Snow across four Hunger Games movies, as well as Don’t Look Now, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie), Space Cowboys, Ad Astra, and Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, among many others. He is also the father of Kiefer Sutherland, also a prolific actor.
What’s your favorite Donald Sutherland role? (Hard to choose, but Mr. X in JFK is one of mine for sure). Share your top choices in the comments below.
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