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We have sad news to report out of Hollywood today:
Udo Kier — the unmistakable character actor who racked up more than 250 film and television credits over the course of his career — has passed away.
Kier’s career took him from the independent arthouse cinema scene in his native Germany to the world of Hollywood blockbusters like Blade and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
Friends and fans mourn the loss of a Hollywood legend
News of Kier’s passing comes courtesy of his longtime romantic partner, Delbert McBride, who issued a statement to several media outlets, including Variety.
Additional information was provided by Kier’s friend Michael Childers, who wrote on Facebook that the 81-year-old died at Eisenhower Hospital in Palm Springs, California.
“Breaking my heart, a sad goodbye to my great friend Udo Keir… RIP,” Childers wrote.
No cause of death has been revealed at this time.
The conclusion of a truly epic career
Very few actors accumulate hundreds of credits during their careers.
And even fewer do so with such a wide variety of projects.
Though he is best known to American audiences for his work in mainstream blockbusters, Kier also worked with some of the indie world’s most acclaimed directors, including Gus Van Sant, Lars Von Trier, and Werner Herzog.
Kier got his start with a pair of campy 1970s horror films — Flesh for Frankenstein and Blood for Dracula — both produced by Andy Warhol.
He also collaborated with Madonna on multiple occasions, appearing in two of her music videos and posing for her infamous 1992 book, Sex.
Multiple projects in which Kier was involved in recent months — including a Jordan Peele-produced horror film titled OD — have yet to be released.
Our thoughts go out to Udo Kier’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.
