Terence Stamp dies at 87, remembered as Superman villain and sixties icon
Published on: Mon, Aug 18, 2025
By: AFP Text Size: Terence Stamp speaks before the screening of the film 'Unfinished Song' during the Closing Night Screening at the 24th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 13, 2013 in Palm Springs, California. (Photo by ROBERT BENSON / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) LONDON: British actor Terence Stamp, who became famous for playing brooding villains and starred in 'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert', has died at the age of 87. His family confirmed the news on Sunday, stating he leaves behind a remarkable legacy in both acting and writing. 'He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come,' media quoted the family saying. Stamp captivated audiences in arthouse films and Hollywood blockbusters, appearing in over 60 movies throughout his career. Born in London on 22 July 1938, he first gained recognition for his role as a doomed sailor in Peter Ustinov's 'Billy Budd', earning an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe. He won Best Actor at Cannes in 1965 for his chilling performance as a psychopath in William Wyler's 'The Collector'. Stamp became a defining figure of the 1960s, working with legendary directors like Federico Fellini and Pier Paolo Pasolini. Fellini cast him as the decadent actor Toby Dammit, while Pasolini saw him as a 'boy of divine nature' in the cult classic 'Theorem'. After a brief career lull, he revived his fame as General Zod in 'Superman II' and later as Bernadette in 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'. 'I was so closely identified with the 1960s that when that era ended, I was finished with it,' he once told French daily Liberation. His career spanned big-budget films like 'Star Wars' and indie projects such as Ken Loach's 'Poor Cow'. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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