Joe Bonamassa

Monday, January 3, 2011

Pete Postlethwaite, the actor Spielberg called 'the best in the world,' dies aged 64

By Donna Mcconnell

-Star of Brassed Off and The Usual Suspects passes away peacefully at his home
-Earned Oscar nomination for father of member of Guildford Four
-Began career with bit-parts in Corrie and Casualty

At peace: Pete Postlethwaite seen at The Chelsea Flower Show last year, has died following a lengthy battle with cancer

Veteran British actor Pete Postlethwaite, best known for his roles in films Brassed Off and In The Name Of The Father, has died aged 64.

Mr Postlethwaite underwent treatment for testicular cancer after being diagnosed with the condition in 1990.

Journalist and friend Andrew Richardson said the star passed away peacefully in hospital in Shropshire yesterday following a lengthy illness.

Actors Pete Postlethwaite (L) and Ewan McGregor at the 1997 New York premiere for Brassed Off

The 64-year-old star of Hollywood blockbusters Jurassic Park, and The Usual Suspects had continued to work until recent months despite receiving treatment for cancer.

Last year, he appeared in blockbuster Inception and gritty film drama The Town and his last film, Killing Bono, is set for release in April.

He was treated at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and recently paid tribute to the staff there, telling the Shropshire Star: 'They have been wonderful and I am grateful to them. I cannot thank them enough for everything that they have done for me.'

Leading the tributes, his actor friend Bill Nighy said: 'I was honoured by his friendship - he is irreplaceable.'

Career changing: Postlethwaite starred alongside Oscar-winner Daniel Day Lewis in 1993 film In The Name Of The Father as Giuseppe Conlon

Hollywood regular: Postlethwaite starred alongside Gabriel Byrne, and Stephen Baldwin in movie classic The Usual Suspects

Stephen Fry wrote on Twitter: 'The loss of the great Pete Postlethwaite is a very sad way to begin a year.'

Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said: 'So sad to hear of Pete Postlethwaite's death. Brassed Off and The Age Of Stupid had a real effect on me and our Government.'

Writer Neil McCormick, who worked with the actor in his last film Killing Bono,
wrote on Twitter: 'RIP Pete Postlethwaite. We were privileged to have him in Killing Bono when he knew the end was near. Such a sweet, funny performance too.'

Mr Postlethwaite, who was made an OBE in the 2004 New Year's Honours List, was once described by Hollywood director Steven Spielberg as 'the best actor in the world'.

They worked together on The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad.

Family man: Postlethwaite with his wife Jacqueline Moorish and their children William and Lily at the 2009 premiere of his film The Age Of Stupid

Friends in high places: Sophia Loren kisses Postlethwaite during a photocall for their 2002 film Between Strangers at the Venice Film festival

To which Mr Postlethwaite responded: I'm sure what Spielberg actually said was, 'the thing about Pete is that he thinks he's the best actor in the world"'.

The actor has appeared in a string of box office hits including In The Name Of the Father, The Usual Suspects and Baz Luhrmann's Romeo And Juliet.

The Warrington-born actor started out by touring pubs in a theatre group with then girlfriend Julie Walters. And his screen work began with bit parts in Coronation Street, Minder and Casualty.

He worked steadily, taking small roles in Last of the Mohicans and Alien 3 before landing the career-changing role of Giuseppe Conlon in the 1993 film In The Name Of The Father.

His portrayal of Conlon, whose son Gerry was wrongly convicted of the Guildford Four pub bombings, earned him an Oscar nomination.

A role in The Usual Suspects followed, before he played the priest Father Laurence in Baz Luhrmann's modern adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

Other hits include British classic Brassed Off and Spielberg epic Amistad.

The actor lived with his wife of seven years Jacqui, and his two children, William, 21, a drama student at LAMDA, and daughter Lily, 14.

He modestly laughed off Spielberg's famous quote saying 'it sounds like an advert for lager and it's only one man's opinion'.