In Memory of Patrick Stewart (1940-2026)

Patrick Stewart (1940-2026)

Patrick Stewart, the renowned English actor best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and Professor Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" film series, has died after a short battle with Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's. He was 86 years old. His imposing presence and distinctive baritone voice made him instantly recognisable.

Stewart began acting by performing in stage plays in the United Kingdom and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s. He remained in the group until 1982, performing in productions such as "Hamlet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "Two Gentlemen of Verona." At that time, he also starred in several television series, including "The Fall of Eagles," "I, Claudius," and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

In 1975, Stewart made his feature film debut in the thriller "Hennessy." He later starred in films such as "Excalibur," "Dune," and "Lady Jane."

In 1987, at 47, he stepped into the role of the ageing Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the first live-action spin-off of the groundbreaking 1960s TV series. This role catapulted him to global stardom. He reprised the role in four "TNG" movies and in his spin-off streaming series, "Star Trek: Picard," which ran from 2020 to 2023.

After his breakthrough role in Star Trek, Stewart landed another iconic role as Professor Charles Xavier in the popular Marvel franchise, "X-Men", starting with the 2000 film (click here) and ending with "Logan." He reprised the role in the MCU films "Doctor Strange: The Multiverse of Madness" and the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," which will be Stewart's final on-screen outing. His other live-action film roles include "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," "Jeffrey," "Conspiracy Theory," and "Green Room."

Stewart was also a talented voice actor, lending his voice to films such as "The Prince of Egypt," 'TMNT," "Ted," and "The Sheep Detectives," and popular animated series like "The Simpsons," "Family Guy," and "American Dad."

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In Memory of Tom Skerritt (1933-2026)

Tom Skerritt (1933-2026)

Actor Tom Skerritt, best known for his roles in "Alien" and "Top Gun," has passed away. He was 93 years old.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1933, he served in the U.S. Air Force before beginning an acting career, often in military roles. He made his first on-screen appearance in 1962, when he acted opposite a young Robert Redford in "War Hunt." His breakthrough role came in 1970, when he played surgeon Duke Forrest in Robert Altman's war comedy "M*A*S*H," which was adapted into a television series years later.

His other 1970s film roles include "Harold and Maude," "The Turning Point," "Fuzz," "Thieves Like Us," and "Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke." Skerritt later played Captain Arthur Dallas in Ridley Scott's iconic sci-fi/horror movie "Alien," after originally passing on the role. The ensemble included Sigourney Weaver, Yaphet Kotto, Ian Holm, John Hurt, Harry Dean Stanton, and Veronica Cartwright, and Skerritt was among them.

In the 1980s, Skerritt appeared in films such as "The Dead Zone," "Wisdom," "SpaceCamp," "Poltergeist III," and "Steel Magnolias." However, his most memorable role from that decade is probably Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf, Tom Cruise's instructor in "Top Gun."

In 1992, Skerritt reunited with director Robert Redford for his drama "A River Runs Through It, where he played the father of Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer's character. Later, he acted in "Singles," "Contact," "Smoke Signals," "The Other Sister," "Tears of the Sun," "Whiteout," and "A Hologram for the King." Skerritt made a cameo appearance as himself in Seth MacFarlane's 2012 comedy "Ted."

On television, he played Sheriff Jimmy Brock in the television series "Picket Fences." For that role, Skerritt earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He also appeared in other shows like "Cheers," "Brothers & Sisters," "Huff," and "The Good Wife."

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In Memory of Eva Marie Saint (1924-2026)

Eva Marie Saint (1924-2026)

Legendary Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint, best known for her roles in "On the Waterfront" and "North by Northwest," has died at 102. She was one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's golden age of the 1940s and '50s, and had enjoyed a career spanning seven decades.

Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, Saint's original career path was as a teacher, but a passion for theatre emerged, leading to a shift in focus. In her early career, spanning the late 1940s and early 1950s, she starred in television programmes such as "Actors Studio" and "The Prudential Family Playhouse."

Saint later burst onto the big screen as the love interest, Edie Doyle, in the 1954 classic "On the Waterfront," opposite Marlon Brando. Her performance earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. After her spectacular rise to fame, Saint starred in films like "That Certain Feeling," "A Hatful of Rain," and "Raintree Country" with Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor. Perhaps her most notable role was Eve Kendall in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 landmark thriller "North by Northwest."

During the 1960s, Saint appeared in several movies, including "Exodus" with Paul Newman, "All Fall Down" with Warren Beatty, "36 Hours," "The Sandpiper," "The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming," "Grand Prix," "The Stalking Moon," and "Cancel My Reservation."

After receiving critical acclaim for her role in the 1970 adultery drama "Loving," with George Segal, Saint's roles became less frequent in the 1970s and 80s. She then transitioned to TV movies and guest appearances. Over the years, Saint earned five Emmy nominations, winning for her supporting role in the miniseries "People Like Us," based on Dominic Dunn's novel. After returning to the screen in the 1986 comedy "Nothing in Common," she made sporadic film appearances, including "Don't Come Knocking," "Because of Winn-Dixie," and "Superman Returns."

Her last film appearance was in the 2014 romantic fantasy "Winter's Tale."

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In Memory of Peter Cullen (1941-2026)

Peter Cullen (1941-2026)

It is a sad day for us Transformers fans. The legendary voice actor Peter Cullen, perhaps best known as the voice of Optimus Prime in the long-running "Transformers" franchise and Eeyore in "Winnie the Pooh," has died. He was 85 years old.

The actor was born in Montreal, Canada, on July 28, 1941. He was among the first graduates of the National Theatre School of Canada and began his television and radio career in the late 1960s. Over the next decade, Cullen appeared as a performer and announcer on programmes such as "The Buddies," "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour," and "The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show." In the late 1970s, he transitioned to voice acting in Saturday morning cartoons such as "Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo," "Spider-Man," "Snorks," "Heathcliff," "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "Voltron: Defender of the Universe," and many more. In 1984, Cullen auditioned for Optimus Prime, the benevolent leader of the Autobots, in the Hasbro animated series "The Transformers."

When asked how he prepared to play Optimus Prime, Cullen said he drew inspiration from his older brother, Larry, a highly decorated U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam. In addition to voicing Optimus, he also voiced Ironhide, the Autobots' weapon specialist, whom he modelled on the classic Hollywood Western actor Chill Wills. Unbeknownst to the actor, young fans loved the character. He only found out when the studio shockingly killed off Optimus Prime in the 1986 animated feature "The Transformers: The Movie," because it hadn't forwarded any of his fan mail. Surprised by the overwhelming public rejection of Optimus Prime's death, the producers soon gave in to fans' requests and revived the heroic robot. Since then, Cullen has continued to play the role, including in Michael Bay's live-action film series, which began in 2007.

In 1988, he began voicing the droopy donkey Eeyore in the Disney animated series "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." He kept the role in numerous Disney productions until his death. Throughout the 1990s, Cullen continued working in animation, voicing Monterey Jack in "Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers" and countless other roles across a variety of animated series. He stayed busy in the years that followed, thanks to his performances as Optimus Prime and Eeyore across television, film, and video games. Cullen most recently joined the cast of the Emmy-nominated adult animated series "Invincible" in Season 2, playing Thaedus. Frank Welker, who voiced Megatron, guest-starred in Season 2 as Thaedus' adversary, Emperor Argill, referencing the rivalry between their Transformers characters. The two had remained close friends until the end of his days.

Cullen also provided the vocal effects for King Kong in the 1976 film, the Predator in the 1987 movie "Predator," KARR in the TV series "Knight Rider," and a mogwai in "Gremlins."

Farewell, Peter Cullen; you will always be our one and only Optimus Prime. Until then, till all are one.

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In Memory of Tim Curry (1946-2026)

Tim Curry (1946-2026)

Tim Curry, the notable English actor whose portrayal of the flamboyant Dr Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is perhaps his most famous role, has passed away. He was 80 years old. Curry was also renowned for his other iconic roles, including Wadsworth in "Clue" and Pennywise in the "It" television miniseries. He was a versatile character actor who typically played arrogant Brits, cunning villains, and comical sidekicks.

He was born in Grappenhall, England, on April 19, 1946. After earning a degree from the University of Birmingham, Curry's professional acting career began with a role in the original London production of the groundbreaking rock musical "Hair" in 1968. In 1973, fellow cast member Richard O'Brien invited Curry to audition for his new musical, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," and cast him as the effeminate, cross-dressing scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter. While the production was a resounding success in London and Los Angeles, it failed to make an impact on Broadway. Fortunately, Curry reprised his role in the 1975 movie adaptation, which, although not an instant hit, became a midnight cult classic.

After "Rocky Horror," Curry appeared in several films, including "Annie," "Clue," "Legend," "The Hunt for Red October," "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," "The Three Musketeers," "The Shadow," "Muppet Treasure Island," "Charlie's Angels," and "Scary Movie 2." He also played the demonic clown Pennywise in the 1990 TV miniseries "It," based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, for which he wore full-face clown makeup. Curry was also a prolific voice actor, supplying his distinctive voice to characters in animated feature films, such as the villain Hexxus in "FernGully: The Last Rainforest," and in animated television series, such as Nigel Thornberry in Nickelodeon's "The Wild Thornberrys."

Curry's life would forever change in 2012 when he suffered a stroke during a routine massage. The resultant extensive brain surgery left him paralysed on the left side and unable to walk. Fortunately, he regained his speech and continued his career as a voice actor in numerous projects. 

We've lost a legend, but we will never forget his memorable performances.

Here are a few highlights of his greatest cinematic roles.

What was your favourite Tim Curry role?

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In Memory of Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

The country music legend, actress, and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died. She was 80. I'm not a huge fan of country music; from what I hear, she was also a talented actress.

While Dolly had a long and successful career in music, with such memorable songs as "Jolene," "9 to 5," "Islands in the Stream" (with Kenny Rogers), and "I Will Always Love You" (later covered by Whitney Houston for her 1992 movie "The Bodyguard"), her acting career was shorter than her time spent performing country music. She began her film career in 1980 starring in the iconic movie "9 to 5" opposite Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. On set, she spontaneously wrote its iconic theme, producing the memorable rhythm by scraping her nails together. Her theme song became Dolly's first No. 1 single on the Hot 100.

Her other movies include "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" opposite Burt Reynolds, "Rhinestone" opposite Sylvester Stallone, "Steel Magnolias," and "Joyful Noise."

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In Memory of Hayden Panettiere (1989-2026)

Hayden Panettiere (1989-2026)

The former child star/actress Hayden Panettiere is dead. She was 36 years old. Hayden was best known for her roles in the TV series "Heroes" and "Nashville," as well as films such as "Remember the Titans," "I Love You, Beth Cooper," "Scream 4," and "Scream VI." She enjoyed a three-decade career in entertainment, but heartbreak and tragedy marred her personal life.

She began her modelling career at a very young age, appearing in commercials. Later, in 1994, she landed her first major acting role as Sarah Roberts in the ABC soap opera "One Life to Live." In 1998, she made her big-screen debut as Dot in Pixar's animated movie "A Bug's Life."

Panettiere was 11 years old when she played Sheryl Yoast opposite Hollywood legend Denzel Washington in the 2000 Disney sports drama "Remember the Titans." In the years that followed, she appeared in numerous family and teen movies, including "Raising Helen," "Tiger Cruise," "Racing Stripes," "The Ice Princess," and "Bring It On: All or Nothing." These mid-2000s films marked a significant turning point in her career, shifting from childhood stardom to establishing herself as a leading actress.

At 17, Panettiere rocketed to international fame as the impervious cheerleader Claire Bennet in the popular NBC series "Heroes." The show was hugely popular and ran for four seasons from 2006 to 2010. She also played Juliette Barnes, a troubled country musician, in the musical drama series "Nashville," which ran for six seasons and earned her two Golden Globe nominations. Besides her fame in "Heroes" and "Nashville," she also played Kirby Reed in "Scream 4" and "Scream VI."

Another young actress who was taken too soon. My condolences go out to her family and friends.

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