Yaphet Kotto has died aged 81, his wife Tessie Sinahon has confirmed. The American actor was best known for his role as central villain Dr Kananga/Mr Big in the James Bond film Live and Let Die (1973). He also appeared in Alien (1979), The Running Man (1987) and Midnight Run (1988) – and starred in the '90s TV series, Homicide: Life on the Street.

"I'm saddened and still in shocked of the passing of my husband Yaphet of 24 years," Sinahon wrote on Facebook in the early hours of this morning.

"You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you're a real hero and to a lot of people also," she continued. "A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find. One of the best actor in Hollywood a Legend. Rest in Peace Honey, I'm gonna miss you everyday, my best friend, my rock. I love you and you will always be in my heart. Till we meet again!"

Ava DuVernay, the award-winning director of Selma, 13th, and When They See Us, is among those to have paid tribute to Kotto – describing him as "a star".

Yaphet Kotto. My Mom’s favorite. He’s one of those actors who deserved more than the parts he got. But he took those parts and made them wonderful all the same. A star. Rest well, sir. pic.twitter.com/BqeuVc7DSB

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 16, 2021

See more tributes to the iconic actor below:

Yaphet Kotto.

We lost a great one tonight.

Rest in Power. pic.twitter.com/7C9A2DsG6K

— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) March 16, 2021

Yaphet Kotto. I appreciate what he brought to the acting table out here. He was 81 Years Old. 🙏🏾. pic.twitter.com/Ot6D9Kvdft

— Tony Baker (@TonyBakercomedy) March 16, 2021

RIP Yaphet Kotto. So good in so many 1970s movies, from Alien to Blue Collar to Across 110th Street, and then indelible in the great '90s series Homicide: Life on the Street, which does not stream and is worth buying a DVD player for.

— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) March 16, 2021

If Yaphet Kotto was in it, it was better. Sometimes much better. From Blue Collar to Midnight Run; from Nothing But a Man to Across 110th St; from Alien to Homicide: Life on the Street. He made Live and Let Die memorable, yet the studio didn’t want him promoting the film. Damn.

— Ben Mankiewicz (@BenMank77) March 16, 2021

Farewell #yaphetkotto one of the very best of all Bond villains as Mr Big/Kananga in Live & Let Die he struck the perfect balance of physical threat & dignified malevolence. Brilliant in Alien too and so much more. RIP. pic.twitter.com/XKOmmKTKEz

— Jonathan Sothcott (@sothcott) March 16, 2021

He excelled in so many roles, in great films like Alien, Blue Collar, and Midnight Run, as well as a magnificent run on Homicide: Life on the Street. I’m sad to see him go.

— Jim Beaver (@jumblejim) March 16, 2021

We just started Homicide: Life on the Streets the other night and it prompted me to look up Yaphet Kotto’s entire career. He made every single role memorable RIP https://t.co/y9621ahlbC

— Rioghnach Ní Ghrioghair 🇺🇦 (@rioghnachNiG) March 16, 2021

Rest in Power #YaphetKotto thank you for paving the way. Deep bows & condolences to family & close friends of this extraordinary thespian💔🌈🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/2pH6X0h6gO

— Orlando Jones (@TheOrlandoJones) March 16, 2021

Kotto also released a powerful spoken word piece in 1968, called 'Have You Ever Seen Th Blues'. Listen below: