Within the history of cinema, there are certain actors who manage to leave indelible marks, and that notion can certainly be applied to Terence Stamp. Throughout the course of his career, Stamp not only appeared on the silver screen but also in TV shows and acclaimed stage productions. His work has long been celebrated, but it’ll surely now be even more meaningful, given that it’s been reported that Stamp has died. The celebrated British actor – and Superman alum – was 87 at the time of his passing.
Terence Stamp’s death was confirmed by his family, who revealed to Reuters that he passed away on Sunday morning. As of this writing, an official cause of death has not been provided. Stamp’s loved ones shared the following statement upon confirming his death:
He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come. We ask for privacy at this sad time.
Stamp was born in Stepney, London on July 22, 1938 and, in time, he forged a career in the advertising industry. He eventually attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, during which his career began to expand. It was during that time that he even joined the national tour of the play The Long the Short and the Tall, during which he became acquainted with fellow actor (and now-on-and-off retiree) Michael Caine.
After making his film debut in 1962’s Billy Budd, Terence Stamp earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently went on to appear in movies like Term of Trial, The Collector and A Season in Hell throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. In time, Stamp would make a name for himself as an actor known greatly for playing villains.
That villain role status was arguably solidified when he was tapped to play the role of General Zod in Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie and Superman II (which are both streamable with an HBO Max subscription). Stamp’s Zod has become something of a pop culture staple, and that’s not surprising, given his performance. Years later, he’d also ironically voice Jor-El in the hit show Smallville. The Superman franchise would arguably loom large over the rest of Stamp’s career, yet he did continue to work consistently from the ‘70s on.
During the ‘80s, Stamp appeared in films like Legal Eagles, The Sicilian and Wall Street (one of the best stock market movies and a personal favorite of mine). Terence Stamp would land yet another iconic role in the ‘90s when he was cast as transgender woman Bernadette Bassenger in the acclaimed 1994 comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. For his turn as Bernadette, Stamp was honored with a Best Actor nomination from the BAFTA Awards.
The decades that followed would also prove to be fruitful for Stamp, who appeared in a number of more commercial films and shared the screen with stars like Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Garner. Valkyrie, Wanted, The Haunted Mansion, Elektra, The Adjustment Bureau and Murder Mystery are just a few of the roles Stamp snagged during the 2000s and 2010s. Another notable credit is Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (which wasn’t a fun time for Stamp).
As it stands, Stamp's final film credit is Edgar Wright’s 2021 horror film, Last Night in Soho, and Stamp represents one of the many 007 connections in that film as he was once courted for the role of Commander Bond.
“Legend” is a word that’s thrown around quite frequently but, when it comes to Terence Stamp it definitely fits. With his passing, Stamp leaves a serious void that will surely be difficult to fill. However, what’s comforting is that film, TV and theatre are all the better for having had his amazing presence in the first place. We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to Stamp’s friends, family and more during their time of grieving.
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