Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan and Heat Actor, Dead at 61

Actor Tom Sizemore, known for his roles in films like Heat, Black Hawk Down, and Saving Private Ryan, has passed away at the age of 61. Late Friday night, it was announced (via a report from Variety) that Sizemore had been taken off of life support, after he suffered a brain aneurysm at his Los Angeles home on February 18th. Late last month, his manager, Charles Lago had confirmed that his family was deciding on “end of life matters” after the latest update from doctors.

“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore (‘Tom Sizemore’) aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” Lago said in a statement. “His Brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger (17) were at his side.”

Born on November 29, 1961 in Detroit, Michigan, Sizemore got his acting debut in Oliver Stone’s 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July. He subsequently appeared in projects like Point Break, Natural Born Killers, Wyatt Earp, and Heart and Souls. In the 1990s, he went on to have more leading roles, beginning with Michael Cheritto in the 1995 film Heat. He then appeared on The Relic, China Beach, and Saving Private Ryan.

From there, he became a prolific character actor, appearing in dozens of projects up until his death. One of his last roles was as J.T. Taggart on Netflix’s hit series Cobra Kai, as well as starring in last year’s Barbee Rehab. Outside of onscreen acting, Sizemore also voiced Sonny Forelli in the 2002 video game Grant Theft Auto: Vice City, and fronted a rock band known as Day 8.

Sizemore was the subject of multiple controversies across his life, including being convicted of domestic violence in 2003 and charged on two counts of domestic violence in 2017. He also publicly struggled with substance abuse, appearing on projects like Dr. Phil and Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew.

“Drugs are a progressive disease,” Sizemore told the Daily Mail in 2017. “If I do drugs again I go right back to where I was before, I was ineffectual, I could barely get dressed, I was hopeless. I’m coming up on four years sober, it was really difficult, the first two years were miserable I thought I’d never smile again. But I am smiling again, you’ve got to stick around until you feel better.”

Our thoughts are with Sizemore’s family, friends, and fans at this time.