‘Superman’ star Terence Stamp dead at 87

Terence Stamp, who is best known for his roles in the Christopher Reeve “Superman” movies and “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” has passed away. He was 87.

The beloved actor’s family announced the news in a statement to Reuters on Sunday, Aug. 17.

“He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and as a writer that will continue to touch and inspire people for years to come,” his loved ones said. “We ask for privacy at this sad time.”

Born in London in 1938, Stamp made his film debut in 1962’s “Billy Budd” – a role that garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe for Most Promising Male Newcomer. 

He later starred in 1966’s “Modesty Blaise” and 1967’s “Far from the Madding Crowd,” the latter of which also included his then-girlfriend, Julie Christie.

But Stamp’s opportunities appeared to dry up toward the end of the 1960s. He opened up about that time of his life during an interview with The Guardian in 2015.

“It’s a mystery to me,” he told the outlet. “I was in my prime. When the 1960s ended, I just ended with it.”

“I remember my agent telling me: ‘They are all looking for a young Terence Stamp.’ And I thought: ‘I am young.’ I was 31, 32. I couldn’t believe it,” the actor added.

Stamp ultimately returned to the big screen when he was offered the role of General Zod opposite Christopher Reeve’s iconic Superman in 1978’s “Superman.”

He would also return to the role two years later for the film’s 1980 sequel.

“During that time away from the screen, I had transmuted myself,” he told The Guardian 10 years before his passing. “I no longer saw myself as a leading man.”

“What had happened inside of me enabled me to take the role and not feel embarrassed or depressed about playing the villain,” Stamp added regarding the General Zod role. “I just decided I was a character actor now and I can do anything.”

Stamp portrayed a villain once more in 1994’s “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”

The film, which also starred Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, saw Stamp play a trans woman named Bernadette who travels on a road trip with drag queens.

Stamp once again received widespread acclaim for the performance, and he was nominated for Best Actor at the 1995 Golden Globes.

”Cross-dressing has been around at least since Shakespeare,” Stamp told People shortly after the release of “Priscilla” in 1994. ”It would be nice if greater androgyny were the next big social development. It would make relationships easier.”

”I’m sure Hollywood will say, ‘We knew he was a great villain; now we know he’s got great legs,’” he also joked at the time. “I live in hope.”

Stamp’s other impressive acting credits include “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” (1999), “Elektra” (2005), “The Adjustment Bureau” (2011) and “Murder Mystery” (2019).

“Last Night in Soho,” one of Stamp’s final projects before his death, was released in 2021.