Oscar-winning director and famed actor Richard Attenborough has died. It is reported that he passed away on Sunday afternoon, five days before he would have turned 91. Attenborough's health had drastically deteriorated in recent years, and last year he was moved into a London nursing home to be with his wife.
Born in Cambridge in 1923, Attenborough won two Academy Awards – for producer and director – for 1983's Gandhi. He also earned four BAFTAs and four Golden Globes. In front of the camera, some of his most famous roles came in films such as 10 Rillington Place, Brighton Rock, The Great Escape and, for younger generations in the '90s, Jurassic Park and Miracle On 34th Street.
BAFTA Chief Executive Amanda Berry and Chair Anne Morrison issued the statement:
"We are deeply saddened by the death of Lord Attenborough Kt CBE, a monumental figure in BAFTA’s history...
"Lord Attenborough occupies a special place in the hearts of so many and will be missed enormously. Our thoughts are with his family, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy at this sad and difficult time."