The acting world has paid tribute to Sir Ian Holm, following his death at the age of 88.
The Oscar-nominated actor – known for playing Bilbo Baggins in the Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies, among numerous other high-profile roles – died on Friday, after what his agent described as a “Parkinson’s related” illness.
Following the news of his death, a number of his fellow actors have been paying tribute, as have organisations like Bafta and the National Theatre.
A statement posted on Bafta’s Twitter read: “We are very sorry to hear of the death of Ian Holm. Nominated for 6 BAFTAs in his wide-ranging and successful career across TV and film, he is pictured here winning the Supporting Actor award for his role in Chariots Of Fire in 1981.”
The National Theatre wrote: “We’re very sad to hear that Ian Holm has passed away. He was an extraordinary actor and we have wonderful memories of his performance at the National Theatre as King Lear.”
Stars including Robert Webb and Eddie Izzard have also been sharing their memories of Sir Ian on social media:
Long before playing Bilbo Baggins, Sir Ian’s role as Sam Mussabini in Chariots Of Fire earned him a special award at the Cannes Film Festival, a Bafta award and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
He later found a new audience in the 1990s in the role of Pod in the TV adaptation of The Borrowers.
Sir Ian’s other screen credits included The Fifth Element, Alien, The Sweet Hereafter, Time Bandits, The Emperor’s New Clothes and The Madness Of King George.
He was also a celebrated theatre star, winning critical acclaim for his role as King Lear at the National Theatre in 1998, as well as a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor as Lenny in The Homecoming.