Donald Sutherland, the Canadian actor known for lending his talents to films such as “M.A.S.H” and “Klute,” passed away on Thursday at age 88.
Sutherland’s son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, shared the news on X/Twitter but did not specify the cause of his father’s death.
“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” Kiefer wrote alongside a photo of himself as a child with his father. “I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Over the span of his Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning career, Sutherland portrayed a cast of memorable characters. In 1970, he played the surgeon Captain “Hawkeye” Piece in the Korean War dark comedy “M.A.S.H.,” which helped propel him into stardom. He helmed Alan Pakula’s 1971 thriller, “Klute” as a detective alongside Jane Fonda, and in 1980, was cast in Robert Redford’s directorial debut, “Ordinary People,” which went on to nab four Academy Awards including best picture.
The hugely popular “Hunger Games” film series saw Sutherland cast President Snow, the evil leader of Panem, a futuristic civilization with 13 siloed districts and headed by the affluent Capitol. Most recently, he portrayed Judge Isaac Parker in the limited series “Lawman: Bass Reeves” and acted in the psychological drama series, “Swimming with Sharks.”
According to The Associated Press, Sutherland never retired and worked up until his passing.