Respected British actor John Hurt has died aged 77, after battles with cancer and other health issues. His most recent role was a priest in the Oscar-nimonated film Jackie, about the widow of President John F. Kennedy.
Other career highlights include playing the disfigured John Merrick in The Elephant Man, A Man for All Seasons, Midnight Express, playing Winston Smith in the film of George Orwell's 1984, his role as Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant, wand-maker Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter films, and a small but memorable role in Alien.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, Hurt also starred in popular television shows including I, Claudius and Merlin, and was an accomplished theatre and voice actor. In 2015 he was knighted for his services to drama; he was also nominated for two Oscars, won a Golden Globe Award for Midnight Express in 1978, and four BAFTA Awards, including best actor in 1975 for The Naked Civil Servant.
In 2012 he won a Lifetime Achievement BAFTA for his outstanding contribution to British cinema. At the time, he told the BBC, "The first time I got a BAFTA, which was for The Naked Civil Servant, I can remember somebody coming on and getting some kind of achievement and they seemed to be 105 and they talked ... forever."
Hurt is survived by his wife of 12 years, Anwen Rees-Myers.