Terence Stamp, the British actor who played General ZOD in the early Superman films, dies at 87 – National

The British actor Terrence Stamp, who often played complicated villain roles, including General ZOD in early Superman films, has passed away. He was 87 years old.

His death on Sunday was revealed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes and an array of fans near him and people close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Arts, or the BAFTA.

London-born Stamp began his film career with sailor Billy Bud in 1962, winning Oscars and Bafta Award nominations.

His sixty years in his business were packed with highlights, including an emotional portrayal of the Adventure of the Adventure, the adventures of Priscilla, the second desert queen of 1994, the second BAFTA nomination.

But two years after Superman in 1978 and its sequel, Superman II, what most people are associated with the stamp is a portrayal of his bearded ZOD. As the enemy of the Cryptonian Arch is the enemy of Christopher Reeve's Steel Man, Stamp has since introduced a darker, charming, vulnerable, more human element of the franchise that has been recreated in countless superhero movies.

Edgar Wright directed the stamp in his last feature film, and in Soho last night in 2021, he thought the actor was “kind, funny and endlessly charming” in an Instagram post.

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“The more the camera moved, the more hypnotized his presence was. In close-up, his blinking gaze was so powerfully locked in, and the effect was extraordinary. Terence was a true movie star.

Bill Duke, who starred in Stump for Stephen Soderbergh's 1999 crime drama, Limey, said he was “deeply saddened” to hear his death.

“He brought rare strength to the screen, but he carried himself off-screen with warmth, grace and generosity,” he said on Facebook.

Stamp began his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he performed at a repertoire theater, where he met Michael Cain, five years older than him. The pair lived together in an apartment in central London while they were looking for a big break.

He took a break with Billy Budd and set out on a career in the early 1960s to see him as part of the “angry young men” movement, which had introduced elements of social realism into British filmmaking.

It was perhaps most notable for its adaptation of John Fouls' 1965 creepy debut novel, The Collector. There he plays the troublesome and lonely Freddie Clegg. It was a performance that won a fresh young stamp from the Oscar nomination, the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival that year.

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Part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most experienced actors of the classical era, including Laurence Olivier.

“I worked briefly with Olivier in the second film (period of the 1962 trial),” Stamp recalled in a 2013 interview with The Associated Press. “And he said, 'You should always study your voice.'

His career included years of stints in India and took a bit of a break from the late 1960s after missing out on the role of James Bond, who embraced a more holistic approach to himself.

It was the unexpected role of General ZOD that brought him to the spotlight. He played the 1988 Young Guns, the leader of the Galactic Republic, a prequel to Star Wars in 1988, and appeared in Comedy Man in 2008, becoming smart and delivered audio performances in the video games Halo 3 and The Elder Scrolls IV: oblivion.

Born in London's East End on July 22, 1938, the stamp had a series of romances, particularly in the 1960s, including actress Julie Christie and model Jan Shrimpton. He married Elizabeth O'Rourke, 64 and 29, in 2002, but the couple divorced six years later. There were no children in the stamp.

Stamp retained his appearance.

He generally wanted to keep his standards high.

“I don't do shitty movies unless I have rent,” he said.

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