Kiefer Sutherland took to social media to remember his late father, the legendary actor Donald Sutherland, who died on June 20 at 88 years old after a long illness. The “24” and “The Lost Boys” actor remembered his father as a performer who loved his craft and an actor who was one of Hollywood’s most important stars.
“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” Donald wrote in a statement on his social media platforms. “I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Kiefer is one of Donald’s four sons (his brothers are Roeg, Rossif and Angus). The late actor also had a daughter, Rachel. Kiefer followed in his father’s footsteps as an actor, and the father-son duo starred together in projects several times throughout the years, including the movies “Max Dugan Returns” (1983), “Forsaken” (2015) and “A Time to Kill” (1996).
Donald became a countercultural icon as an actor after appearing in movies such as “The Dirty Dozen,” “MASH,” “Klute” and “Don’t Look Now.” He later connected to a younger generation of moviegoers by starring opposite Jennifer Lawrence as President Snow in “The Hunger Games” franchise. Donald also made his mark on television, winning a supporting actor Emmy for HBO’s “Citizen X” in 1995 and earning a nomination 2006 for the Lifetime miniseries “Human Trafficking.”
A private celebration of life in honor of Donald will be held by the family at a later date.