Tom Wilkinson, Batman Begins and The Full Monty Star, Dead at 75

The sad news broke today that British actor Tom Wilkinson has passed away at age 75 in the U.K. Wilkinson had over 125 acting credits to his name and was known for an array of films, including In the Bedroom (2001) and Michael Clayton (2007), which both earned him Academy Award nominations. Wilkinson was also nominated for multiple Emmys, winning one in 2008 for playing Benjamin Franklin in John Adams, a role that also earned him a Golden Globe. Wilkinson received six BAFTA nominations throughout his career, winning one in 1998 for his role as Gerald in The Full Monty. Earlier this year, the actor reprised the role in Disney+'s The Fully Monty series. 

"It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30. His wife and family were with him," Wilkinson's family said in a statement to BBC.

Wilkinson was born in Wharfedale, Yorkshire, England in 1948. The actor studied English and American literature at the University of Kent at Canterbury where he discovered his passion for acting. After graduating, Wilkinson attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, graduating again in 1973.

Soon after his schooling, Wilkinson began his career as an actor by appearing in various television shows starting in 1975. His early credits included 2nd House (1975), The Shadow Line (1976), Crime and Punishment (1979), and Panorama (1982). Wilkinson also appeared in films such as Bones (1984), Sylvie (1985), and more projects in the 1980s. However, the actor's career really took off in the 1990s when he appeared in films such as In the Name of the Father (1993), Sense and Sensibility (1995), and Shakespeare in Love (1998) in addition to The Full Monty. 

Wilkinson's credits also included The Patriot (2000), Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Valkyrie (2008), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), Selma (2014), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and Denial (2016). 

Wilkinson had a vast filmography, but many may know him best for his roles in franchise films. The actor played Carmine Falcone in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins in 2005, and the IMF Secretary in Brad Bird's Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011. The actor's recent credits included Netflix's Watership Down (2018), Belgravia (2020), SAS: Red Notice (2021), and The Full Monty series. According to IMDB, the actor was in production on two more projects when he passed: The Man Who Saved Paris and Bone in the Throat. 

Wilkinson is survived by his wife, Diana Hardcastle, and two daughters. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.