‘Seventh Seal’ and ‘Exorcist’ Actor Max von Sydow Dies at 90: Family

Actor Max von Sydow poses at the photo call for the film Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close during the 62 edition of International Film Festival Berlinale, in Berlin on Feb. 10, 2012. (Gero Breloer/AP Photo)

Max von Sydow, who starred in “Star Wars,” “The Exorcist,” “Game of Thrones,” and many more films, has died at the age of 90, according to his family.

Von Sydow, a Swedish-born French actor, also appeared in Ingmar Bergman’s classic “The Seventh Seal,” and worked in cinema for around seven decades.

“Is with a broken heart and with infinite sadness that we have the extreme pain of announcing the departure of Max von Sydow, on March 8, 2020,” a statement from his widow Catherine von Sydow said, according to Deadline. His cause of death wasn’t revealed.

The longtime actor received two Academy Award nominations for “Pelle the Conqueror” and “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.” He also received an Emmy nomination for his role as the Three-Eyed Raven in “Game of Thrones” on HBO.

He was often typecast in Hollywood as a villain, The Associated Press noted, adding that it was because he is “tall and lanky, with sullen blue eyes, a narrow face, pale complexion and a deep and accented speaking voice.”

But he once told reporters: “What I as an actor look for is a variety of parts. It is very boring to be stuck in more or less one type of character.”

A number of actors and directors commemorated von Sydow on social media.

“Farewell, Max von Sydow, an actor who could bring great gravity to weightless junk, and quick, unpredictable humanity to, well, very grave films. His run of collaborations with Bergman have so much more life and electricity than the dour reputation with which people tag them,” film critic Guy Lodge wrote.

Noted director Kevin Smith: “The legendary actor who gave us both Brewmeister Smith and Ming the Merciless has finally laid down his King in the eternal chess match. Farewell, Max von Sydow. You were in many much more respected movies than Strange Brew and Flash Gordon but I loved you for those flicks first.”

Actress Mia Farrow wrote: “Here was Max Von Sydow with his dear friend, master cinematographer, Sven Nykvist. Two great artists. Two true gentlemen. We were working on Bora Bora. I picture Max in heaven wearing his white linen suit, w Sven, Ingmar Bergman, Bibi Andersson, laughing & loving each other.”