Legendary British actor Sean Connery has passed away at the age of 90.
London:
Legendary actor Sean Connery, best known for playing the fictional spy James Bond, has died at the age of 90, leading to a wave of tributes for one of the most beloved screen heroes from Great Britain.
Sir Sean’s son Jason told the BBC his father had died peacefully in his sleep overnight while in the Bahamas, having been “ill for a while”.
The Scottish actor, who was knighted in 2000, has won numerous awards over his decades-long career, including an Oscar, three Golden Globes and two Bafta Awards.
“He was and will always be remembered as the original James Bond,” film franchise producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said.
“He revolutionized the world with his cruel and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent.”
The couple added that Connery was “without a doubt largely responsible for the success of the film series and we will always be grateful to him.”
A message on a Twitter account maintained for compatriot Roger Moore, who died in 2017, called the news of his passing “infinitely sad”.
He added: “He and Roger were friends for many decades and Roger always maintained that Sean was the best James Bond ever. RIP.”
Hollywood star Hugh Jackman said: “I grew up idolizing #SeanConnery. A legend on and off the screen. Rest in peace.”
Connery, born in Edinburgh in 1930, won his only Oscar in 1988 for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Irish cop in “The Untouchables”.
He also appeared in “The Hunt for Red October”, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and “The Rock”.
But it was his sweet, Scottish-accented portrayal of the suave 007 spy that earned him lasting worldwide fame and adoration.
The first actor to pronounce the unforgettable “Bond, James Bond,” Connery made six official films as the creation of novelist Ian Fleming, giving what many still consider the definitive portrait.
Proud scottish
Mason, rescuer, and casket polisher, among other manual jobs, before he rose to fame, Connery kicked off his acting career after a bodybuilding hobby led him to enter the Mr Universe competition.
There, another contestant urged him to audition for acting roles and he quickly began to land small roles.
His big break came while playing the role of Bond in 1962’s “Dr. No”, the franchise’s first film.
He went to play Bond in “From Russia With Love” (1963), “Goldfinger” (1964), “Thunderball” (1965), “You Only Live Twice” (1967) and “Diamonds Are Forever” (1971).
He made a comeback as a British spy in the unofficial 1983 film “Never Say Never Again”.
Offscreen, Connery was an extremely proud Scotsman and a funder of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which advocates Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.
Former Prime Minister Alex Salmond reacted to his death by describing Connery as “the greatest Scotsman in the world, the last of Hollywood’s true stars, the Definitive Bond”.
Salmond said his voice, spirit and passion have endured even though “his health has been deteriorating” in recent years.
“I will miss him. I will miss Scotland. The world will miss him,” he added.
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