Veteran actor Sir John Hurt has died aged 77, his agent has said.
The Bafta-winning star, known for his roles in Alien and The Elephant Man, had been treated for pancreatic cancer in 2015.
He recently starred as Father Richard McSorley in Jackie, the biopic of President John F. Kennedy’s wife.
US director Mel Brooks described Sir John as “cinematic immortality”, as tributes poured in for the star.
Despite being given the all-clear for cancer, he last year pulled out of play The Entertainer due to ill-health.
Sir John decided not to perform as Billy Rice in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s production on the advice of his doctors.
Brooks paid tribute to Sir John, who had starred in his comedy Spaceballs, saying on Twitter: “No one could have played The Elephant Man more memorably.”
He added: “He carried that film into cinematic immortality. He will be sorely missed.”
Sir John also played the part of wand-maker Mr Ollivander in the Harry Potter films.
Author of the books, J K Rowling, tweeted: “So very sad to hear that the immensely talented and deeply beloved John Hurt has died. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Stephen Fry praised Sir John for being “great on the stage, small screen and big”.
Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood said: “It was such an honor to have watched you work, sir.”
British actor Alfred Molina said Sir John was “a gloriously talented actor, one of the best, of this or any era.”
John Hurt was one of Britain’s best-known and most versatile actors.
He was born on 22 January, 1940 in Chesterfield in Derbyshire. Over six decades, he appeared in more than 120 films as well as numerous stage and television roles.
He went to St Martin’s School of Art in London, but dropped out. He then gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1960 but said he had been so hungry, he could hardly deliver his lines.
It was not until 1978 that Hurt was recognised as one of cinema’s best character actors, gaining an Oscar nomination for his performance as a heroin addict in Alan Parker’s Midnight Express.
In 1979, he then starred as Kane in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror Alien. in The death of his character has often been voted as one of cinema’s most memorable moments.
The film critic and historian Geoff Andrew once asked Hurt how he managed to regularly turn in such memorable performances.
“The only way I can describe it is that I put everything I can into the mulberry of my mind and hope that it is going to ferment and make a decent wine,” he said.
“How that process happens, I’m sorry to tell you I can’t describe.”
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