Veteran actor Udo Kier has passed away. He was 81.
Kier was born Udo Kierspe in Cologne, Germany. When he was 18, he moved to London, before going on to star in films including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Armageddon and Blade.
The news of his passing was shared by his partner, artist Delbert McBride. Along with his film credits, Kier also starred in a number of games, including as Yuri in the Command and Conquer: Red Alert series. The actor was also due to star in Hideo Kojima‘s Xbox horror game OD.
Reflecting on Kier’s passing, Kojima said he was “at a loss for words”.
“It all happened far too suddenly,” Kojima wrote on social media. “Because of the strike, we weren’t able to shoot ‘OD’ for a long time, and we were forced to reschedule to next year. Even during that time, Udo and I exchanged emails frequently. We stayed in close contact. When we met in Milan at the end of September, he told me how much he was looking forward to the shoot starting up again next year. He was full of energy then too, making me laugh with his usual ‘Udo-isms’.
“I still can’t believe this.
“Udo wasn’t just an actor. He was truly an ‘icon’ of his time. We’ve lost a great ‘icon’. There will never be another like him.
“Udo, rest in peace. I will never forget you.”
Along with Kier, Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer and director Jordan Peele – who is known for his films Get Out and Nope – are also connected to Kojima’s OD. At the time of writing, it’s unknown if Kier will be recast or if his role will be removed from the project.
Rest in peace, Udo, and thank you for all you’ve done.
