The cause of actor Donald Sutherland’s death has been disclosed in a statement released by his talent agency. According to Creative Artists Agency, the esteemed veteran actor passed away at the age of 88 on June 20, 2024, as reported by NBC News.
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“Acclaimed actor Donald Sutherland died today in Miami, Florida after a long illness,” the agency explained. They withheld further details regarding the cause of his death.
Donald Sutherland’s ‘Long Illness’ is Unclear, But He Suffered From Multiple Ailments Growing Up
Sutherland passed away after a prolonged illness, according to a statement that did not detail his condition. During his childhood, he endured numerous health challenges, including hepatitis, rheumatic fever, and polio. Consequently, one of his legs was shorter than the other.
In the wake of Sutherland’s death, many friends and colleagues paid tribute to the iconic actor.
“Donald was a giant, not only physically but as a talent. He was also enormously kind and generous. … It’s never easy losing the caliber of a human being and actor like Donald Sutherland, but this one really profoundly hurts because Donald was like my brother, and a big part of my own career,” Sutherland’s M.A.S.H. co-star Elliott Gould told the Associated Press.
Director Ron Howard also paid tribute to Sutherland with a heartfelt tribute on X. “I was blessed to direct him in #Backdraft,” Howard began. “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.”
Jane Fonda, who co-starred with Sutherland in 1971’s Klute, wrote that she shared “adventures” with the actor.
“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,” Fonda wrote on Instagram.
Actor Rob Lowe, who starred alongside Sutherland in the 2004 miniseries Salem’s Lot, also shared his thoughts via X. “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.’”