Rutger Hauer
BEETSTERZWAAG--Dutch actor Rutger Hauer, who starred in 1982’s Blade Runner, has died at the age of 75. His agent confirmed the star died in the Netherlands on Friday after a short illness. The actor’s funeral was held on Wednesday.
Hauer played the murderous replicant Roy Batty in Blade Runner, which was directed by Ridley Scott and also starred Harrison Ford.
Hauer was particularly well known for horror and vampire roles, starring as Van Helsing in Dracula 3D, and as the vampire Barlow in Salem’s Lot – a 2004 mini-series of the Stephen King novel.
Hauer worked consistently to his last months, with several of his movies still to be released. His recent projects include last year’s The Sisters’ Brothers with John C. Reilly, Joaquin Phoenix and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Survivors include his second wife Ineke ten Kate and daughter Ayesha Hauer, who is also an actor. Ayesha was married for several years to Thomas Jane, who worked with Rutger in the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Rutger was born on January 23, 1944, in Breukelen, near Amsterdam. In his youth, he joined the Dutch merchant navy, but returned to Amsterdam in 1962. He briefly studied acting, but then quit to join the army. He later returned to acting and got his major break in 1969 when he was cast in the title role of Dutch TV series Floris.
His performance in Blade Runner was by far his most famous role, but he continued acting right up until this year.
He also appeared in the films Sin City, Batman Begins and the HBO series True Blood.
The Shape of Water director Guillermo del Toro led the tributes on Twitter, writing: “RIP the great Rutger Hauer: an intense, deep, genuine and magnetic actor who brought truth, power and beauty to his films.”
