MOVIE NEWS – Terence Stamp, the English actor best remembered for portraying the ruthless General Zod in the Superman films, has passed away at the age of 87. The Academy Award-nominated star enjoyed a film career that stretched across six decades.

Across more than sixty years on screen, Stamp appeared in classics such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far From the Madding Crowd, and Valkyrie. His family confirmed to Reuters that he died on Sunday morning.

“He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and a writer, that will continue to inspire audiences for years to come,” the family said in their statement.

Born on July 22, 1938, in Stepney, East London, to working-class parents, Stamp first pursued advertising before winning a scholarship to drama school. His breakthrough came in 1962 when he starred in Billy Budd, a period drama about a naive 18th-century sailor.

The role earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer.

He soon established himself as a memorable villain, from General Zod in Superman and Superman II, to Freddie Clegg in The Collector, and Sergeant Troy in Far From the Madding Crowd.

During the swinging 1960s, Stamp was as much a cultural figure as he was a film star, celebrated for his striking looks, fashionable style, and high-profile relationships. He famously dated actress Julie Christie—his co-star in Far From the Madding Crowd—and supermodel Jean Shrimpton. His brief romance with Christie was immortalized in the Kinks’ hit Waterloo Sunset, with the lyric “Terry meets Julie”.

Terence Stamp: The 1960s icon and “master of brooding silence”

After Sean Connery’s departure as James Bond, Stamp was considered as a possible replacement. However, his bold creative ideas reportedly unnerved producer Harry Saltzman. “I think my ideas about it put the frighteners on Harry. I never got a second call,” Stamp recalled.

He later worked in Italy with directors Pier Paolo Pasolini and Federico Fellini but, upon returning to London at the end of the 1960s, found his stardom had faded. “When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it,” he admitted.

Taking a break from acting, Stamp traveled the world, eventually living in India where he studied yoga and immersed himself in spiritual practice. In 1976, he made a comeback with his defining role as General Zod in Superman.

From then on, Stamp remained active in cinema for decades, with appearances in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, A Song for Marion, The Adjustment Bureau, and Last Night in Soho.

One of his most acclaimed roles came in 1994 when he portrayed a transgender woman in the Australian cult film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Director Stephan Elliott confirmed last year that Stamp had been set to reprise his role in an upcoming sequel.

Source: BBC