Family, friends, and colleagues are mourning the passing of Donald Sutherland, who passed away on June 20 at the age of 88. In a career spanning six decades, Sutherland became known for his distinctive voice, commanding presence, and captivating acting. Those who worked with him also knew Sutherland for his exemplary character and pay tribute to that as much as his talents as an actor.
Sutherland’s talent agency attributed his death to “a long illness” in a statement announcing his death. By time of writing, no additional details have been provided by the agency or his family, which includes 57-year-old son Kiefer, also an actor, who also confirmed news of his passing on social media. Here is how those who knew Sutherland remember his work and his heart.
The stars pay tribute to Donald Sutherland after his passing
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Following news of Sutherland’s passing, tributes flooded in from those who were a part of his extensive filmography—he has been in over 200 films and shows. One came from Michael Douglas, who starred opposite Sutherland in 1994’s Disclosure.
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“What a lovely, talented, and curious man,” Douglas penned. “RIP Donald Sutherland.” He included a still from their time together in the mystery thriller.
#RIPDonaldSutherland. I was blessed to direct him in #Backdraft. 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. https://t.co/kw601XQ6uh
— Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) June 20, 2024
Actor-turned-director Ron Howard recounted his time with him in 1991. “#RIPDonaldSutherland. I was blessed to direct him in #Backdraft,” the former Happy Days icon recounted. “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.”
The actor was a favorite across generations
As recently as 2017, Helen Mirren starred opposite Sutherland in The Leisure Seeker, which provided ample memories for her to share in her tribute.
“Donald Sutherland was one of the smartest actors I ever worked with,” she said in a statement for The Hollywood Reporter. “He had a wonderful enquiring brain, and a great knowledge on a wide variety of subjects. He combined this great intelligence with a deep sensitivity, and with a seriousness about his profession as an actor. This all made him into the legend of film that he became. He was my colleague and became my friend. I will miss his presence in this world.”
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Sutherland’s work in The Hunger Games franchise, which saw him as the menacing President Snow from 2012 to 2015, also earned him a new generation of supporters. In 2023, actor Tom Blyth played a younger version of his character in the prequel film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. “Donald Sutherland came about as close to mastering the craft of acting as anyone gets,” said Blyth in his Instagram tribute to Sutherland. “So many genius performances.”
“I never had the honor of knowing him personally,” he continued, “but it was the honor of a lifetime to follow in his footsteps. Thank you sir for birthing one of the great movie characters of all time.”
Sutherland’s ex and his former co-star Jane Fonda also took to social media to honor his memory. “I am stunned to hear that Donald Sutherland has died,” she said. “He was my fascinating co-star in Klute and we loved working together. In this photo we are on the Klute set with director Alan Pakula. Donald was a brilliant actor and a complex man who shared quite a few adventures with me, such as the FTA Show, an anti-Vietnam war tour that performed for 60,000 active duty soldiers, sailors, and marines in Hawaii, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Japan in 1971. I am heartbroken.”
Rest in peace, Donald Sutherland.
