Washington, DC [US], August 17 (ANI): British actor Terence Stamp, best remembered for playing the iconic villain General Zod in the Superman films, has died at the age of 87, his family confirmed to The New York Times, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The cause or place of death was not disclosed.
With striking looks and a career spanning six decades, Stamp left a lasting mark on both British and Hollywood cinema. He first rose to fame with his role in Billy Budd (1962), which earned him an Oscar nomination, and later stunned audiences with his chilling performance in William Wyler’s The Collector (1965), which won him Best Actor at Cannes.
However, he is best remembered as General Zod, the Kryptonian villain who challenged Superman in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980). His commanding performance turned the character into one of the most iconic comic book villains on screen.
Stamp’s glamour and style made him one of Britain’s most celebrated stars. He and actress Julie Christie were among the most iconic couples of the 1960s, starring together in Far From the Madding Crowd (1967). He also had a high-profile romance with supermodel Jean Shrimpton and was a favorite muse of legendary photographer David Bailey.
His versatility shone through his varied career. He played a corrupt English crook in Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey (1999), earned recognition as Chancellor Valorum in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace (1999), and won acclaim for one of his boldest and most challenging roles as Bernadette, a transgender woman, in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994).
Born in London in 1938, Stamp’s journey from the son of a tugboat captain to an international star included collaborations with directors like Pier Paolo Pasolini, Ken Loach, and Edgar Wright. Early in his career, he shared a home with fellow actor Michael Caine, though the two never appeared in a film together.
In later years, Stamp continued acting in films such as Valkyrie (2008), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016), and Last Night in Soho (2021). Alongside acting, he also published several memoirs and books, including Stamp Album and Rare Stamps: Reflections on Living, Breathing and Acting. (ANI)
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