Tom Wilkinson, 'In the Bedroom' and 'Michael Clayton' Star, Dead at 75
Tom Wilkinson, a two-time Academy Award nominee for his roles in the 2001 drama In the Bedroom and 2007 legal thriller Michael Clayton, has died, ET can confirm. He was 75.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30th," read a family statement provided to ET by Wilkinson's rep. "His wife and family were with him. The family asks for privacy at this time."
Born Thomas Geoffrey Wilkinson in Yorkshire, England, he began his career in 1976 after making his big screen debut playing a chef in The Shadow Line. He landed various movie roles thereafter as well as TV roles, most notably on the British miniseries, First Among Equals.
But it wasn't until 1997's The Full Monty when he earned notoriety, after playing the role of the unemployed ex foreman Gerald Cooper. That role earned him a British Academy Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He then went on to play the villain Thomas Griffin (aka Juntao) in the 1998 action comedy Rush Hour, starring alongside Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. He also portrayed Hugh Fennyman in Shakespeare in Love.
Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti at an afterparty for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 11, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California.
Wilkinson was nominated for a Golden Globe (Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film) and Primetime Emmy (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie) for his role in the 2003 HBO film, Normal. Then, in 2009, Wilkinson won both prestigious awards in 2009 -- for Best Supporting Actor -- for his role in the HBO miniseries John Adams, in which he portrayed Benjamin Franklin alongside Paul Giamatti.
Wilkinson received two Academy Award nominations, first in 2001 for Best Actor following his portrayal of Matt Fowler in Todd Field's In the Bedroom. He earned his second Oscar nomination in 2007 for Best Supporting Actor following his portrayal of Arthur Edens in Tony Gilroy's Michael Clayton. Wilkinson starred alongside Sydney Pollack, Michael O'Keefe and, of course, George Clooney, who starred in the titular role.
Tom Wilkinson and his wife, Diana Hardcastle, at the world premiere of RocknRolla at Odeon West End on September 1, 2008 in London, England.
Some of his other film credits included Valkyrie, Duplicity, The Ghost Writer, The Lone Ranger, Batman Begins, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma and Snowden.
Wilkinson was also the recipient of an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Kent in 2001, and he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2005 for his services to drama.
He's survived by his wife, Diana Hardcastle, and their two daughters.
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