Julian Sands’ Death From January Hiking Accident Confirmed

Actor Julian Sands, whose four-decade career encompassed TV (24) and film (A Room With a View), is confirmed to have died in a January hiking accident. He was 65 years old.

On June 24, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s office announced that human remains had been found by civilian hikers in the same area where the actor had reportedly gone missing. On Tuesday, the office confirmed that the remains belonged to Sands, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“The identification process for the body located on Mt. Baldy on June 24, 2023, has been completed and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood,” read the statement. “The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results.”

Sands was declared missing on Jan. 13 after going out for hike outside of Los Angeles in the Baldy Bowl area. Search and rescue operations had been delayed due to severe weather, avalanche risks and poor trail conditions in the area.

After search efforts picked back up on June 17, Sand’s family issued their first statement through the county sheriff.

“We are deeply grateful to the search teams and coordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian,” the June 21 statement said. “We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer.”

Eight searches had been conducted specific to locating Sands, in addition to another eight unrelated search operations in the same area.

While Sands is best known for his work in films including Warlock, The Killing Fields and Naked Lunch, the British actor also appeared in several television series throughout his career. In 2006 he portrayed Valdimir Bierko, a Russian businessman who financed and led a group of separatists in Central Asia who wanted freedom from Russian rule, in 24. He appeared in Smalville as Jor-El’s clone in the ninth season of the series. He is also known for his portrayal of Yulish, an ex-gangster who becomes a priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church, in Banshee. 

Sands also appeared in episodes of Lipstick Jungle, Crossbones, Dexter, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: SVU, and more. Throughout his career, Sands lent his voice to animated series. He voiced Mayor Valmont in several episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures between 2000-2002 among other shows.

His final credits include the horror films Ghosts of Monday and The Ghosts of Borley Rectory, released in 2022 and 2021, respectively. He also had roles in several projects in post-production that have yet to be released including Seneca: On the Creation of Earthquakes, The Piper, and Body Odyssey.