Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy winning British actor Tom Wilkinson died unexpectedly at his home on Saturday at the age of 75, his agent confirmed in a news release.Among the films in which he acted: "Eternal Sunshine with a Clear Mind", "Good Wife", "Batman Begins", "Shakespeare in Love" and "Go to the End".
Tom Wilkinson, Photo: Reuters
"It is with great sadness that Tom Wilkinson's family announces that he died unexpectedly at his home on December 30," read a brief statement sent on behalf of the family through his agent. "His wife and children were with him and his family asks that their privacy be respected."
Thomas Geoffrey (Tom) Wilkinson was born in 1948 in Leeds, Yorkshire. As a child, he lived in Canada for several years with his family and returned to live in Britain at the age of 11. Wilkinson studied English and American literature at the University of Kent and upon graduation enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
In the mid-70s, he began appearing in television and film, making his film debut in 20 in the film The Shadow Line. In 1976 he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and during his career starred on stage and on film and television screens in dozens of films and productions.
His cinematic breakthrough came in 1997 when he starred in the blockbuster British film Going All the Way about a group of unemployed men in Sheffield trying to make money by putting on a striptease show. For his role as Gerald Arthur Cooper in the film, Wilkinson won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
In 2009, he won a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Benjamin Franklin in the HBO miniseries John Adams.
Among the other films in which he took part over the years are "Girl with a Pearl Earring", "Eternal Sunshine with a Clear Mind", "Good Wife", "Batman Begins", "Shakespeare in Love" and "In the Bedroom" for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.
In 2004, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contribution as a dramatic actor. He is survived by his wife, actress Diana Hardcastle, and two daughters.
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