The Oscar-nominated actor Sir John Hurt has died aged 77. After a career that spanned over 50 years in television, film and voice work, the actor received Academy Award nominations for playing a heroin addict in « Midnight Express » and the tortured John Merrick in David Lynch’s « The Elephant Man. » The latest role was a difficult task: he endured eight hours in the makeup chair daily to transform into John Merrick.
The elaborate mask prohibited him from sleeping lying down or even eating while it was on. He was award a knighthood in 2014. Hurt recently appeared alongside Natalie Portman in the Oscar-nominated film « Jackie » as a priest who consoles the recently widowed first lady. “I can’t say I worry about mortality, but it’s impossible to get to my age and not have a little contemplation of it,” Hurt said in an interview, sometime ago. Hurt was also a prolific voice actor, as Hazel in the animated « Watership Down, » and as Aragorn in Ralph Bakshi’s « The Lord of the Rings. » He also provided the narration for « Dogville. « .
« It was terribly sad today to learn of John Hurt’s passing. He was a truly magnificent talent. » Mel Brooks wrote on Twitter and many others was giving great recognition for Hurt’s talent.
