Donald Sutherland may have starred in the movie “Ordinary People,” but he was anything but ordinary — on and off the screen.
Sutherland died Thursday in Miami after a long illness at the age of 88, People reported.
Since news of his passing broke, friends and colleagues have posted tributes on social media.
Son Kiefer Sutherland posted on X, formerly Twitter about the impact his father made in the entertainment business.
“I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film,” Kiefer wrote. “Never daunted by a role, 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.”
The account for “The Hunger Games,” in which Sutherland starred, spoke of both the man and the actor on X.
“We asked the kindest man in the world to portray the most corrupt, ruthless dictator we’ve ever seen,” the post read. “Such was the power and skill of Donald Sutherland’s acting that he created one more indelible character among many others that defined his legendary career.”
Sutherland starred in more than 100 movies, including “The Dirty Dozen,” “Kelly’s Heroes,” “Animal House,” “Backdraft,” “Six Degrees of Separation” and “Pride & Prejudice,” “Ordinary People” and “M*A*S*H.”
He was also in television films “Citizen X” and “Path to War.”
Ron Howard, who directed Sutherland in “Backdraft,” touted Sutherland for his “excellence.”
“One of the most intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time. Incredible range, creative courage & dedication to serving the story & the audience with supreme excellence,” Howard wrote.
Actor Rob Lowe remembered Sutherland’s charisma on X.
“Today we lost one of our greatest actors, Donald Sutherland,” Lowe wrote. “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.”
Sutherland won an Emmy for the TV movie “Citizen X.” He was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 2017 “for a lifetime of indelible characters, rendered with unwavering truthfulness.”
Sutherland is survived by wife Francine Racette, daughter Rachel, and four sons, Kiefer, Rossif, Angus and Roeg.
