A Tribute to the Great Donald Sutherland

Table of Contents

The legendary actor, Donald Sutherland, has passed on and even though his passing is something to mourn, his legacy will live on and that is something to be most grateful for.

Early life

Donald McNichol Sutherland was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada in 1935. Sutherland worked in several different jobs before beginning his acting career, one of them being a radio DJ in his youth. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in engineering and was almost set on becoming an engineer. However, he also graduated with a degree in drama, and he chose arts over applied science. And aren’t we all so glad that he did?

1960s: Career starter

Sutherland‘s first roles were very small parts in films such as the 1965 horror film ‘Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors’, starring Christopher Lee. He also appeared on the small screen doing episodes of shows such as ‘The Saint’ and ‘Court Martial’. Sutherland’s career launch happened in the 1967 war film ‘The Dirty Dozen’, in which he played the role of Vernon Pinkley in the war film ‘The Dirty Dozen’ (1967). Amongst the cast were Lee Marvin, Telly Savalas and Charles Bronson. Directed by Robert Aldrich, ‘The Dirty Dozen’ follows a group of a dozen convicts who are recruited by Major John Reisman (Lee Marvin) for a rather risky mission. Private Vernon Pinkley, one of the twelve convicts. Sutherland’s portrayal of Pinkley’s quirkiness and dim-witted demeanor brought the comic relief the film needed. The film’s immediate success helped put Sutherland on the map and ultimately get him a leading role in another war film, this time a war comedy.

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1970s: Big break

Between 1967 and 1970, Sutherland was in several productions. From ‘Oedipus the King’ and ‘The Sunshine Patriot’, to ‘Sebastian’ and Brian G. Hutton’s ‘Kelly’s Heroes’, Sutherland was booked in and one foot into the Industry. The classic 1970 dark comedy war film ‘M*A*S*H’ was Sutherland’s big break into the Industry, as he played the illustrious Hawkeye Pierce. Based on “MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors” by Richard Hooker, the story is set during the Korean War and follows the lives of the medical staff stationed at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), who find that humor is the best way to cope with the grim realities of war and they take us along for the unsettling journey. Sutherland stars alongside a stellar cast, including Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, Sally Kellerman and Robert Duvall. Despite the utterly chaotic wartime setting and the oftentimes ludicrous environment these characters find themselves in, Sutherland’s portrayal of Hawkeye is filled with wit and sarcasm, as well as an endless sense of compassion and humor can always be found at MASH. Hawkeye’s camaraderie and dynamic with Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre (Elliott Gould) is one of the aspects the film centers itself in. Sutherland’s ability to balance drama and comedy showcased his acting range, which along with the major success of the film secured his place in the Film Industry. The film became such a classic that a tv series was created: ‘M*A*S*H’ (1972-1983).

Sutherland’s involvement in ‘Kelly’s Heroes’ (1970) starring Clint Eastwood and Telly Savalas led him to his next role as John Klute in Alan J. Pakula’s ‘Klute’ (1971), in which Sutherland stars alongside Jane Fonda. Although the neo-noir psychological thriller secured Fonda an Oscar win, Sutherland didn’t even get a nomination. Fonda later gave Sutherland credit for being essential for her Oscar-winning best actress performance. The young actor was only getting started, though. There was a lot yet to come for his career. In fact, Sutherland landed the lead role in a number of projects. His career skyrocketed after he played Jesse Veldini in ‘Steelyard Blues’ (1973) and got a BAFTA nomination for his incredible performance. He worked on Andy Hammon in ‘Lady Ice’ (1973), Dan Candy ‘Alien Thunder’ (1974), Bruland in ‘S*P*Y*S’ (1974) and Homer in ‘The Day of the Locust’ (1974) and John Baxter in ‘Don’t Look Now’ (1973). Sutherland‘s role in ‘Don’t Look Now’ being one of his finest performances, in which he demonstrates his capability to attach such a complex narrative with an extremely human and emotionally resonant character like John Baxter. His next role would be possibly his most significant role yet and it remains to this day his most critically acclaimed role. ‘1900’ (1976) is Bernardo Bertolucci’s Italian epic tale about class through children’s perspective. Attila Mellanchini is a sadistic and fascist foreman and main antagonist of the film. Sutherland is so convincing and he gives such a deeply disturbing performance that I like to think this was what inspired his future character President Coriolanus “Coryo” Snow.

From Bertolucci to Fellini. Sutherland jumped from one Italian director to the next when he starred in Fellini’s ‘Casanova’ (1976) as Giacomo Casanova. He then collaborated with John Sturges in ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ (1976), Stuart Cooper in ‘The Disappearance’ (1977), Eric Till in ‘Bethune’ (1977), Claude Chabrol in ‘Blood Relatives’ (1978), Michael Crichton in ‘The Great Train Robbery’ (1978) and John Landis twice in ‘The Kentucky Fried Movie’ (1977) and ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’ (1978). That same year, Sutherland worked in Philip Kaufman’s ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ (1978), in which he played a San Francisco health inspector who discovers that humans are being replaced by aliens. Sutherland’s character Matthew Bennell secured a spot in one of the best characters in both science fiction and horror scenes. In fact, Donald Sutherland received a nomination for his role at the Saturn Awards (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films). In 1979, Sutherland was part of titles such as ‘Murder by Decree’, ‘A Man, a Woman and a Bank’ and ‘Bear Island’.

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1980s: Taking some risks and trying new things

Sutherland worked on the not well-received comedy ‘Nothing Personal’ (1980) before his next very important role in the 1980 American drama film and Robert Redford’s directorial debut: ‘Ordinary People’. Sutherland plays Calvin Jarrett, the very compassionate and concerned father who is having a hard time keeping the family together. The film is regarded as a powerful and deeply emotional exploration of a family’s struggle with grief and their journey to healing. ‘Ordinary People’ was very critically acclaimed, even at the time. It received six Academy Awards nominations, winning four of them. The nominations were: Best Picture (winner), Best Director (Robert Redford – winner), Best Adapted Screenplay (Alvin Sargent – winner), and Best Supporting Actor (Timothy Hutton – winner), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Mary Tyler Moore – nominee) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Judd Hirsch – nominee). Donald Sutherland was, once again, snubbed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science.

Sutherland moved on to play a ruthless German spy in a film by Richard Marquand called ‘Eye of the Needle’ (1981) and starred in several projects in the early 80s, such as Les Rose’ s ‘Gas’ (1981), Richard Pearce’s ‘Threshold’ (1981), Herbert Ross’s ‘Max Dugan Returns’ (1983), Waris Hussein’s ‘The Winter of Our Discontent’ (1983), Louis Malle’s ‘Crackers’ (1984), and ‘Ordeal by Innocence‘ (1984) by Desmond Davis and Alan Birkinshaw. In the mid-80s Sutherlandwas part of Michael Dinner’s rites-of-passage ensemble comedy ‘Heaven Help Us’ (1985) and Hugh Hudson’s commercial and critical disaster ‘Revolution’ (1985).

The projects Sutherland worked on in the late 80s were not all successes, except a film by Euzhan Palcy just before the start of the 90s in 1989. These titles included ‘Oviri’ (1986) by Henning Carlsen, ‘The Rosary Murders’ (1987) by Fred Walton, ‘The Trouble with Spies’ (1987) by Burt Kennedy, ‘Apprentice to Murder’ (1988) by Ralph L. Thomas, ‘Lost Angels’ (1989) by Hugh Hudson, and ‘Lock Up’ (1989) by John Flynn. Sutherland’s work led to the dramatic, well-told story of apartheid ‘A Dry White Season’ (1989), where he stars alongside the legendary actor Marlon Brando. Sutherland plays a South African school teacher who increasingly starts noticing the racial injustices and barbarities people faced under the apartheid regime. Based on the novel by André Brink, ‘A Dry White Season’ follows Ben Du Toit (Donald Sutherland’s character) transformation from a passive observer and bystander to an active opponent of South Africa’s apartheid. Both Sutherland’s and Brando’s performances are very strong and compelling, but only Brando’s got recognized by the Academy, receiving an Academy Awards nomination in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category.

From voice over, to a music video; Sutherland experimented with some other forms of acting. He was the narrator in Anne Wheeler’s ‘A War Story’ (1981) and he also starred in the British singer Kate Bush’s music video for Kate Bush’s song Cloudbusting about Wilhelm Reich. Sutherland wasn’t allowed to work in the UK for this video shoot due to not having a work visa but that did not stop him, as he did not charge for being in the music video.

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1990s: Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe WINNER

The Nineteen-Nineties was a really good decade for Sutherland’s career. He was still getting a lot of work. Before his next big success and one of the most important roles he would play in the last decade before the 2000s, Sutherland worked on Phillip Borsos’s ‘Bethune: The Making of a Hero’ (1990), John Irvin’s ‘Eminent Domain’ (1990), Rebecca Horn’s ‘Buster’s Bedroom’ (1991), Ron Howard’s Academy Award winning blockbuster ‘Backdraft’ (1991) and ‘Scream of Stone’ (1991) starred and directed by Werner Herzog.

New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) finds out that the official statement about JFK’s assassination is not the whole story in Oliver Stone’s film ‘JFK’ (1991). Donald Sutherland plays a mysterious and high-level government informant, known as “X”. Based on Colonel L. Fletcher Prouty (former Pentagon insider and critic of the Warren Commission’s findings on the assassination of JFK), “X” plays a pivotal role in developing Garrison’s investigation. The film was a tremendous success and received 8 Academy Awards nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations and 4 BAFTA nominations; none for Donald Sutherland’s performance.

1992 was a big year for Sutherland with 7 credited projects, including ‘The Railway Station Man’ by Michael Whyte, ‘Shadow of the Wolf’ by Jacques Dorfmann and Pierre Magny, ‘The Setting Sun’ by Rou Tomono, a TV film called ‘Quicksand: No Escape’, a voice over work for a short film called ‘The Poky Little Puppy’s First Christmas’, a video game titled ‘KGB: Conspiracy’, and one of the stars of what would be one of the biggest television shows of all time: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. What a year!

The following couple of years were also quite busy for Sutherland, as he starred in eight films, including ‘Younger and Younger’ (1993) by Percy Adlon, ‘Benefit of the Doubt’ (1993) by Jonathan Heap, ‘Red Hot’ (1993) by Paul Haggis, the critical disaster ‘Punch’ (1993) by Alan Birkinshaw and Johannes Flütsch, ‘Six Degrees of Separation’ (1993) by Fred Schepisi, which received an Academy Awards win for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Stockard Channing, a TV movie called ‘The Lifeforce Experiment’ (1994) directed by Piers Haggard, the 9 time Primetime Emmy Award nominated series ‘Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All’ (1994) for 1 episode, Stuart Orme’s ‘The Puppet Masters’ (1994), and Barry Levinson’s ‘Disclosure’ (1994).

1995 was a year of big films and big wins for Sutherland, with both projects he was in that year received critical and audience praise and were nominated to important awards. Based on the true story of the Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who was convicted of murdering 52 women and children between 1978 and 1990, ‘Citizen X’ is a TV movie directed by Chris Gerolmo, which cast members include Stephen Rea, Jeffrey DeMunn, Max von Sydow, Joss Ackland, John Wood, Imelda Staunton and Donald Sutherland. The American television film received 7 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, 2 Golden Globe nominations and a Writers Guild of America win. Sutherland received his first Emmy and Golden Globe for his performance of Col. Mikhail Fetisov. He was finally recognized and celebrated for the incredibly talented actor he was.‘Outbreak’ by Wolfgang Petersen tells the story about a team of Army doctors struggling to find a cure for the very dangerous and very deadly Motaba virus that was transported from Africa to North America and is now spreading quickly throughout a small town in California. Sutherland plays a high-ranking military officer named Major General Donald “Donnie” McClintock, who is involved in the containment and potential weaponization of the Motaba virus outbreak. Kevin Spacey received a Critics Choice nomination for his performance of Casey Schuler, which he won. Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner (DRUMROLL)… Donald Sutherland!

The late 90s were quite eventful for Sutherland’s career. In 1996, Sutherland played Hollis Hurlbut in one episode of the longest TV show of all time,‘The Simpsons’, he was also in ‘Hollow Point’ by Sidney J. Furie, ‘Natural Enemy’ by Douglas Jackson, and ‘A Time to Kill’ by Joel Schumacher, for which Samuel L. Jackson received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. In 1997, he appeared in ‘Shadow Conspiracy’ by George P. Cosmatos and ‘The Assignment’ by Christian Duguay. In 1998, he was in Gregory Hoblit’s ‘Fallen’, Yves Simoneau’s ‘Free Money’, and Robert Towne’s ‘Without Limits’, which guaranteed Sutherland’s second Golden Globe nomination and his first Golden Satellite Award for playing Bill Bowerman. Sutherland’s portrayal of the legendary coach and co-founder of Nike was praised for its depth and nuance. He managed to beautifully highlight the mentor-mentee relationship between his character Bowerman and Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup). 1999 was a busy year, as Sutherland starred in ‘Virus’ (1999) by John Bruno, ‘Behind the Mask’ (1999) by Tom McLoughlin, Jon Turteltaub’s very mixed reviewed psychological thriller ‘Instinct’, and John Gray’s TV movie ‘The Hunley’, which won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.

2000s: New millennium, new opportunities

The new millennium arrived and provided Sutherland with new opportunities and different turns within his career. He was able to reunite with Clint Eastwood since ‘Kelly’s Heroes’ (1970) for ‘Space Cowboys’ (2000), a science fiction adventure film starred and directed by Eastwood. We follow a group of Air Force test pilots as they have to go back into service despite having retired, after being called back into service to repair an old Soviet satellite that threatens Earth. The film received an Academy Awards nomination for Best Sound Editing. In 2000, Sutherland also appeared in Henry Bromell’s ‘Panic’, and ‘The Art of War’ (2000) by Christian Duguay, which received 7 Genie Awards nominations.

In 2001, Sutherland starred in ‘The Big Heist’ by Robert Markowitz and Xiaogang Feng’s ‘Big Shot’s Funeral’. He also starred in a science fiction animated film directed by Motonori Sakakibara and Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the “Final Fantasy” video game series, called ‘Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within’. The film is known for pioneering the use of photorealistic computer-generated animation. The film won the Most expensive film inspired by a videogame category in the Guinness World Record Award. Even though the film received mixed reviews and was technically a commercial failure, it remains a notable attempt to blend cinematic storytelling with the aesthetics of video game graphics. ‘Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within’ walked so Resident Evil, Mortal Combat and The Last of Us could run. Sutherland also made it back to the small screen for Jon Avnet’s ‘Uprising’, a historical war drama miniseries. The series does good job at dramatizing the efforts of the Jewish resistance and the brutality of the Nazis. The show received such praise, it was nominated to a few awards, including 1 Critics Choice Award nomination, 1 Directors Guild of America nomination, 4 Primetime Emmy nomination, 1 Golden Globe nomination, and 2 Satellite Award nominations.

The years 2002 and 2003 were years of big projects in Sutherland’s career. Sutherland plays Clark Clifford in John Frankenheime’s TV movie ‘Path to War’ (2002). The story is highly focused on the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson and his escalation of the Vietnam War. Sutherland’s character is a key advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson, who initially supports Johnson’s policies but becomes increasingly critical of how the administration handles the Vietnam War. The historical drama received 1 Directors Guild of America nomination, 8 Primetime Emmy nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations, and 1 Golden Satellite Award nomination. Donald Sutherland won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Clark Clifford. Sutherland appeared in ‘Five Moons Plaza’ (2003) by Renzo Martinelli, ‘The Italian Job’ (2003) by F. Gary Gray, and ‘Baltic Storm’ (2003) by Reuben Leder, before appearing in his next award winning production. Set during the American Civil War, Anthony Minghella’s ‘Cold Mountain’ (2002) tells the story of W.P. Inman (Jude Law), a Confederate soldier who deserts the army to return to his beloved Ada Monroe (Nicole Kidman) in a town in North Carolina called Cold Mountain. Donald Sutherland plays Ada Monroe’s father, Reverend Monroe. The epic war film received 7 Academy Award nominations, 13 BAFTA nominations, 4 Critics Choice nominations, 1 Directors Guild of Great Britain, 8 Golden Globe nominations, 3 Satellite Award nominations, 3 Grammy nominations, 4 London Critics Circle Film Award nominations, 1 SAG Awards nomination.

Two thousand and four was the year of the small screen for Sutherland. He appeared in 2 mini series: ‘Salem’s Lot’ and ‘Frankenstein’. The adaptation of Stephen King‘s 1975 horror novel of the same name, ‘Salem’s Lot’ follows the story of a writer (Rob Lowe) who returns to his hometown to find out that its residents are being turned into vampires. Donald Sutherland portrays Richard Straker, an antique dealer and servant of the vampire Kurt Barlow (Rutger Hauer). Sutherland stars in another miniseries called ‘Frankenstein’ (2004), directed by Kevin Connor. The 2004 television adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic novel ‘Frankenstein’ offers a faithful retelling of the original story, with Alec Newman as Victor Frankenstein, Luke Goss as The Creature, William Hurt as Professor Waldman, and Donald Sutherland as Captain Robert Walton. Each miniseries received 1 Primetime Emmy nomination.

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The year 2005 was perhaps the busiest year thus far in Sutherland’s career. From the big screen to the small screen, Sutherland starred in 8 titles that year. “Aurora Borealis” (2005) centers around a young man (Duncan) struggling to find himself and what is next in his life after his father’s death. Joshua Jackson plays Duncan and his relationship with his grandfather (Donald Sutherland) plays a huge role in guiding him to learn to cope with his past and face his future. The drama received 2 Satellite Award nominations, including a Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination for Donald Sutherland. He also worked on Griffin Dunne’s ‘Fierce People’, ‘American Gun’ by Aric Avelino, ‘Lord of War’ by Andrew Niccol, Courtney Solomon’s ‘An American Haunting’, and the PG rated television show ‘Sunday Pants’. Sutherland then went on to star in one of his most recognizable roles (by millennials and Gen-Z) of Elizabeth Bennet’s beloved father, Mr. Bennet, in Joe Wright’s adaptation of the classic Jane Austen‘s 1813 story, ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005). We follows the very tumultuous relationship between the independent and decitive second eldest daughter of the Bennet family, Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley), and an extremely wealthy and reserved gentleman of high ranking, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). The faithful adaptation of the much beloved story was very critically praised and a commercial success. In fact, it received many awards, including 4 Academy Award nominations, 6 BAFTA nominations, 1 Critics Choice Award nomination, 2 Golden Globe nominations, 2 Golden Satellite Award nominations. Sutherland’s next important role was Bill Meehan in the 2005 ‘Human Trafficking’. The miniseries focused on the issue of human trafficking for various exploitative purposes, as it involves several interconnected storylines about different forms of human trafficking across various countries, from sexual exploitation, to forced labor. Sutherland’s character, Meehan, is a senior investigator for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, who is very much involved in combating human trafficking. The miniseries received a number of nominations, from 3 Primetime Emmy nominations, to 2 Golden Globe nominations. Sutherland was nominated for both a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Bill Meehan. A massive year for Sutherland’s career.

The following years were filled with new projects, including Rod Lurie’s ‘Commander in Chief’ (2006). Sutherland starred in the TV series as the Speaker of the House and political antagonist to President Mackenzie Allen (Geena Davi), Nathan Templeton. Even though the show canceled after one season, it received critical acclaim and praised for its portrayal of a female president. The political drama series received 1 Primetime Emmy nomination, 1 Golden Satellite Award nomination, 1 SAG Award nomination, and 3 Golden Globe nominations – including a nomination for Donald Sutherland for his performance as Nathan Templeton. Sutherland worked on ‘Land of the Blind’ (2006) by Robert Edwards, ‘Ask the Dust’ (2006) by Robert Towne, Jay Chandrasekhar’s ‘Beerfest’ (2006), ‘Sleepwalkers’ (2007) by Doug Aitken, Mike Binder’s ‘Reign Over Me’ (2007), Nicolas Roeg’s ‘Puffball: The Devil’s Eyeball’ (2007), and Donald Sutherland appeared in the 2007 Canadian film ‘Days of Darkness’ (L’Age des tenebres) by Denys Arcand, which received 4 Genie Award nominations.

Besides starring in the next project that got Donald Sutherland his 8th Golden Globe nomination, he appeared in Andy Tennant’s ‘Fool’s Gold’ (2008), he voiced President Stone in David Bowers’ ‘Astro Boy’ (2009), and he also was in ‘The Eastmans’ (2009) by Jason Ensler. The television series ‘Dirty Sexy Money’ (2007-2009) centers around the wealthy and powerful Darling family of New York City. Sutherland plays Patrick “Tripp” Darling III, the patriarch of the family, an influential and shrewd businessman, who goes about life using his money and status to manipulate people around him – Essentially a Logan Roy of the early 2000s. The short-lived show received 1 Primetime Emmy and 1 Golden Globe nomination for Donald Sutherland’s performance.

2010s: Career changing

Another decade of work for Donald Sutherland and he did not slow down with work. He joined forces with Canadian comic Russell Peters and his son Rossif Sutherland in the comedy ‘The Con Artist’ (2010), he appeared in Simon West’s ‘The Mechanic’ (2011), and ‘The Eagle’ (2011) by Kevin Macdonald. Sutherland joined Matthew Macfadyen once again for 2010 television miniseries ‘The Pillars of the Earth’, in which he played Earl Bartholomew and Macfadyen played Prior Philip. Based on Ken Follett’s novel, ‘The Pillars of the Earth’ is set in 12th-century England and follows the construction of a cathedral in Kingsbridge, amidst social and political turmoil. The historical drama starring Ian McShane, Matthew Macfadyen, Eddie Redmayne and Donald Sutherland received 7 Primetime Emmy nominations, 3 Golden Globe nominations, 2 Satellite Award nominations. Sutherland won a Romy Gala award from Austria for his performance. In 2011, Sutherland starred alongside William Hurt, Ethan Hawke and Charlie Cox in a miniseries called ‘Moby Dick’. He was in Duncan MacNeillie’s ‘Jock the Hero Dog’ (2011), ‘My Life As an Experiment’ (2011) by Michael Spiller, and Mary McGuckian’s ‘Man on the Train’ (2011). Sutherland also appeared in the 2011 dark comedy ‘Horrible Bosses’, directed by Seth Gordon. The film was very commercially successful, even received 1 Critics Choice nomination and 1 Satellite Award nomination.

Before one of his most memorable and long-lasting roles, Sutherland was Captain Flin in the British television miniseries ‘Treasure Island’ (2012), which received 2 Primetime Emmy nominations. He also appeared in ‘Assassin’s Bullet’ (2012) by Isaac Florentine, ‘Dawn Rider’ (2012) by Terry Miles and the TV movie ‘Living Loaded’ (2012). Gary Ross’ ‘The Hunger Games’ (2012) is a dystopian science fiction film based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. The story is set in a future where Panem, the totalitarian nation, is divided in 12 districts (plus the Capital). Since the end of a Civil War against the districts (the poor) and the Capital (the rich), the Capital hosts an annual “celebration” that serve as a lesson to the districts, where each district is forced to send one girl and one boy between the ages of 12 and 18 to fight for their lives. The “celebration” is called “The Hunger Games” and there are 12 girls and 12 boys and only one can survive and become the victor. In that absolutely appalling world, Donald Sutherland plays the ruthless and manipulative leader of Panem, President Snow. The film was an absolute success between the public and the critics. It was praised for its performances, direction, and faithfulness to the source material. It launched a successful film franchise, of what would become a 4-entry franchise. The young adult adaptation was nominated for 1 BAFTA Children’s Film, 1 Critics Choice Award, 1 Golden Globe and 2 Grammys. Donald Sutherland suddenly became extremely famous amongst the younger generations like Millenials and Gen-Z.

Sutherland went on to appear in Giuseppe Tornatore’s ‘The Best Offer’ (2013), which received 2 Golden Globe nominations. He also appeared in ‘Jappeloup’ (2013) by Christian Duguay before going back to “The Hunger Games” franchise with ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ (2013). The second installment had a different director in the ‘Water for Elephants’ director Francis Lawrence. The cast included some veterans such as Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland. It also included new talent such as Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Amanda Plummer, and legendary actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. ‘Catching Fire’ was very well-received and was a box office success, quite literally breaking box office records type of success. The film received 3 Critics Choice nominations, 1 Golden Globe nomination, 1 Grammy nomination.

Sutherland was in Jason Stone’s ‘The Calling’ (2014) before returning home to “The Hunger Games” franchise, only a year after the second installment had been released. Francis Lawrence returns as director for ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ (2014). The third installment brought in some new cast members such as Natalie Dormer, Mahershala Ali and Julianne Moore. The YA franchise did it again and made the third film a huge commercial success. The film received 2 Critics Choice nominations, 1 Golden Globe nomination. Sutherland starred in the TV movie ‘Pirate’s Passage’ (2015) by Mike Barth and Jamie Gallan and Jon Cassar’s ‘Forsaken’ (2015), where he worked with his son Kiefer Sutherland. The production received 5 Canadian Screen Award nominations. Sutherland then returned home one last time for the fourth and last installment of “The Hunger Games” saga: ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’ (2015), directed by Francis Lawrence. Even though the ending of the adaptations of the book saga was the least grossing film of the entire 4-entry saga, it was still a commercial success. ‘Mockingjay – Part 2’ received 1 Critics Choice nomination for Jennifer Lawrence’s brilliant performance as Katniss Everdeen.

Sutherland went back to the small screen for ‘Crossing Lines’ (2013-2015), ‘Ice’ (2016-2017) TV series and ‘Trust’ (2018). He also appeared in the big screen with Dan Baron’s ‘Basmati Blues’ (2017), ‘Milton’s Secret’ (2016) by Barnet Bain, ‘Point and shoot’ (2016) by Thomas Leisten Schneider, Jim Loach’s ‘Measure of a Man’ (2018) and ‘The Leisure Seeker’ (2017) by Paolo Virzì – which received 1 Golden Globe nomination for Helen Mirren’s performance. Sutherland was in Wilson Coneybeare’s ‘American Hangman’ (2019), Gonzalo López-Gallego’s ‘Backdraft 2’ (2019), ‘The Burnt Orange Heresy’ (2019) by Giuseppe Capotondi, ’The Physics of Sorrow’ (2019) by Theodore Ushev, and Academy Award nominee film by James Gray, ‘Ad Astra’ (2019).

2020s: The last years

Sutherland had two projects in 2020, despite the Film Industry and the world shutting down. He was in Johnny Martin’s ‘Alone’ and in David E. Kelley’s miniseries ‘The Undoing’. Kelley’s psychological thriller is based on a novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz called “You Should Have Known”. We follow Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman), a successful therapist living in New York City, as her life is turned upside down when her husband, Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant), is accused of a brutal murder. Secrets are uncovered and both Grace and the audience learn a lot about Jonathan and their life as the story unfolds. Donald Sutherland portrays Franklin Reinhardt, Grace Fraser’s wealthy and influential father. Franklin plays a supportive role in his daughter’s life during the unfolding crisis involving her husband. The miniseries was very well received by critics and had a successful award season, as it received 2 Primetime Emmy nominations, 4 Golden Globe nominations (including a nomination for Donald Sutherland’s performance), 5 Satellite Award nominations (including a nomination for Sutherland), and 3 Critics Choice nomination (1 win for Donald Sutherland for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television). In 2022, Sutherland appeared in Roland Emmerich’s ‘Moonfall’, ‘Swimming with Sharks’ (2022 -) created by Kathleen Robertson, and John Lee Hancock’s ‘Mr. Harrigan’s Phone’.

Sutherland’s last roles were ‘Miranda’s Victim’ (2023) by Michelle Danner, Tim Harper’s animation ‘Ozi: Voice of the Forest’ (2023), and a miniseries created by Chad Feehan called ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ (2023). The series centers around the life of one of the first black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River, Bass Reeves (David Oyelowo). Sutherland plays Judge Isaac Parker, who plays a crucial role in appointing Reeves as deputy U.S. marshal. The series received 1 Critics Choice nomination, 1 Golden Globe nomination, 1 Screen Actors Guild nomination.

The legacy

Donald Sutherland sadly passed away in June of 2024 at the age of 88, leaving his wife Francine Racette, his children Roeg, Rossif, Angus, Kiefer, Rachel, and four grandchildren. Sutherland has got 199 acting credits under his belt over the course of his 60-plus year career, something most actors haven’t gotten close to getting in a lifetime. The Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor finally had his moment when he received an honorary Oscar in 2017, presented by none other than his “The Hunger Games” co-star, Jennifer Lawrence.

Sutherland was a remarkable actor, distinguished by his hard work and unmatchable talent. His legacy will live on. We were extremely fortunate to have had the chance to witness his incredible acting.

By Julia Maia

Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.

I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”

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Author

Julia Maia

Julia Maia is a writer and filmmaker originally from Brazil. She grew up watching every piece of television and film she encountered from all over the world, which inspired her to come to Los Angeles to study film. She always knew that in order to be happy and fulfilled she had to be surrounded by art. She is always in search of the next film, show or performance that will inspire her. Her background in filmmaking helps her appreciate the technical elements of a film, as well as relish the journey of each story being told. There is not a topic Maia enjoys talking about more than film and the film industry and how it impacts the world and vice versa. The Hollywood Insider is the perfect platform for Maia to participate in the discourse about anything film related with many that , much like herself, love to take part in real important conversations and deeply appreciate the art of telling stories.

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Julia Maia

Julia Maia is a writer and filmmaker originally from Brazil. She grew up watching every piece of television and film she encountered from all over the world, which inspired her to come to Los Angeles to study film. She always knew that in order to be happy and fulfilled she had to be surrounded by art. She is always in search of the next film, show or performance that will inspire her. Her background in filmmaking helps her appreciate the technical elements of a film, as well as relish the journey of each story being told. There is not a topic Maia enjoys talking about more than film and the film industry and how it impacts the world and vice versa. The Hollywood Insider is the perfect platform for Maia to participate in the discourse about anything film related with many that , much like herself, love to take part in real important conversations and deeply appreciate the art of telling stories.

Julia Maia

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