Donald Sutherland, The Hunger Games Actor, Dead At 88

Donald Sutherland, the critically acclaimed actor, has died at 88, according to Deadline. His son and fellow prolific actor Kiefer Sutherland confirmed the news in a post on X, formerly Twitter. "With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away," Kiefer wrote. "Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived."

You may know him best as President Snow in "The Hunger Games," or as Mr. Bennet in "Pride & Prejudice." With a career that spanned more than five decades, Sutherland made quite a mark in Hollywood playing unique and highly memorable roles. The debate over which performances were his best, from "Six Degrees of Separation" to "Space Cowboys," goes to show how many fans he had and how much critical success he achieved. Sutherland received two Golden Globes in 1996 and 2003, and was nominated six additional times over the course of his career. He also received a Primetime Emmy in 1995, as well as an honorary Academy Award in 2018.

But where did Sutherland get his start? He didn't pursue the arts until college, unlike many famous celebrities whose careers started when they were babies. Sutherland was born in 1935 in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, to parents Frederick and Dorothy. His father was a salesman and the head of a bus, gas, and electric company, while his mother worked as a mathematics teacher. He got his first taste of performing at 14, when he read the news and worked as a disc jockey for the radio station CKBW. However, Sutherland didn't pursue acting immediately after the experience. Instead, he went to the University of Toronto to study engineering.

While pursuing an engineering degree in college, Donald Sutherland decided to add on an English major and began acting in school productions. He graduated in 1956 with a dual degree in engineering and drama, then set his sights on theater and enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. From there, Sutherland worked for a variety of repertory companies and appeared on the London stage. He also began pursuing a film and TV career, earning small acting credits in little-known series.

In the 1960s, Sutherland was discovered while performing in a West End production of "Spoon River Anthology" and was offered a dual role in the film "Castle of the Living Dead." His performance helped him earn roles in other TV series during the '60s, including "Court Martial," "The Saint," and "The Avengers." Then in 1967, Sutherland landed the role of Vernon Pinkley in "The Dirty Dozen." It was his first appearance on the American screen and helped him create buzz in Hollywood. In 1970, Sutherland finally scored his breakout role as Hawkeye Pearce in the Korean War satire "M*A*S*H." The film became so popular that Sutherland became an instant star. In 1971, he earned critical acclaim for his performance in the film "Klute" with Jane Fonda.

Donald Sutherland went on to have a long and illustrious career after playing Hawkeye Pearce in "M*A*S*H." Though he appeared in a few lackluster movies in the 70s and 80s, he managed to regain buzz and break out of typecasting by taking up unusual roles. He appeared in a number of intense dramas in the 80s and 90s including "A Dry White Season," a movie about apartheid, and "Without Limits," a true-life film about distance runner Steve Prefontaine.

In 2000, Sutherland hit upon more success playing a retired NASA engineer in Clint Eastwood's comedy "Space Cowboys." His performance as Elizabeth Bennet's father in the 2005 adaptation of "Pride & Prejudice" was also met with praise, as was his portrayal of President Snow in "The Hunger Games" trilogy. The role of President Snow was extremely important to Sutherland, who felt that "The Hunger Games" was a catalyst for political change in the world. "I hadn't even heard of the books, but it became patently apparent to me that this was something," Sutherland said during the initial film's release (via The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences). "It was the first thing I'd read in years that could become a creative political stimulus for young people."

In more recent years, Sutherland's notable characters included Colonel Thomas Pruitt in the 2019 sci-fi film "Ad Astra," Jerome Debney in "The Burnt Orange Heresy," and Franklin Reinhardt in HBO's "The Undoing."

While studying at the University of Toronto, Donald Sutherland met and dated actor Lois Hardwick. The couple got married in 1959, but divorced in 1966. Not long after, Sutherland married actor Shirley Douglas. The couple had twin children together, Kiefer and Rachel. Kiefer went on to become an actor in his own right, while Rachel works as a television producer.

After Sutherland and Douglas divorced in 1971, Sutherland met actor Jane Fonda on the set of "Klute." The pair dated for about three years. Then, while on the set of the film "Alien Thunder," Sutherland and actor Francine Racette were introduced. The two began dating and got married in 1972. The couple welcomed three children together: Roeg, Rossif, and Angus Redford. Sutherland and Racette stayed together for the remainder of his life. In addition to his wife and children, Sutherland is survived by his grandchildren, actor Sarah Sutherland and Theodore Sutherland.