Ronald Pickup, best known for his roles in "The Crown" and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," has died at age 80. His agent confirmed on Thursday that the actor "passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness surrounded by his wife and family," BBC reported. "He will be deeply missed," the agent added.
Born in Chester, England, to lecturer Eric Pickup and his wife Daisy, Pickup launched his acting career with a theatrical debut in 1964 at the Phoenix Theatre in Leicester, according to IMDB. He went on to appear in dozens of other productions including "Oedipus" and "Macbeth" before broadening his horizons.
Pickup broke into the film industry after he was cast in an episode of "Doctor Who" in 1964. He has since starred in various films and TV shows including "The Mission," "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," as well as "Downtown Abbey" and "Coronation Street." However, possibly his most memorable roles were in "The Crown," in which he played the Archbishop of Canterbury, as well as the 2011 romantic drama "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."
Pickup spoke about his career to Female First in 2012.
"On a film like this there is something about out work where we are very, very lucky because there is always the possibility of something around the corner that's exciting and different," he said of his role in "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."
"Even if you are doing a TV program in your own country there is always something different in every new character because you are taking on something new every time," he continued. "Richard Burton said, and I am hardly Richard Burton, 'It's a reason to get up every morning.'"
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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