Hollywood is mourning the death of Emmy and Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland. The actor died Thursday, June 20, in Miami after a long illness, CAA confirmed to Variety. He was 88.
Donald’s son Kiefer Sutherland also confirmed the news in a social media post. “With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” he wrote via X on Thursday. “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.”
As part of his post, Kiefer included a throwback photo of himself as a child hanging out with his dad.
For nearly 60 years, the Canadian-born actor found success on the big and small screen. His on-screen credits include M*A*S*H, Pride & Prejudice, Klute and The Hunger Games film series where he played President Snow.
Most recently, he appeared as Judge Parker on the series Lawmen: Bass Reeves and in the Swimming With Sharks series in 2022.
“I have incredible respect for my father’s work,” Keifer told The Canadian Press in 2016 when praising his dad. “I believe he’s not only one of the most prolific, but I think he’s one of the great important actors in the English language.”
In fact, the father-son duo had the opportunity to share the same screen together in the 2015 western film Forsaken. “I was nervous,” Keifer previously said about the opportunity. “It’s something that I’ve wanted to do since I started work.”
When Kiefer was growing up, he was raised by his mother, Shirley Douglas. In an interview with PEOPLE, he explained that he couldn’t watch many of his dad’s previous movies because they were rated R. It wasn’t until he turned 18 when Kiefer discovered his dad’s true skills.
“I remember feeling really bad as a son that I wasn’t aware of not only how prolific my father was as an actor but what he had really contributed to the art of cinema,” he told the publication in 2016.
Fortunately, he got to witness his father be recognized for his career including the moment Donald received the 2017 Honorary Oscar award from the Academy’s Board of Governors.