Rutger Hauer, the versatile Dutch actor of the 70’s who went on to star in the 1982 Blade Runner as Roy Batty, died July 19th at 75.
Hauer died at his home in the Netherlands after a short illness. Hauer’s agent, Steve Kenis, confirmed the news and said that Hauer’s funeral was held Wednesday.
His best-known performance came in a film that was a resounding flop on its original release. In 1982, he portrayed the murderous yet soulful Roy Batty, leader of a gang of outlaw replicants, opposite Harrison Ford in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi noir opus Blade Runner. The picture became a widely influential cult favorite, and Batty proved to be Hauer’s most indelible role. He even wrote his own dialogue for the villain’s final moments, transfixing the scene in people’s minds.
More recently, he appeared in a pair of 2005 films: as Cardinal Roark in Sin City, and as the corporate villain who Bruce Wayne discovers is running the Wayne Corp. in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Within the last year, he was also cast as Master Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 3 to replace his fellow deceased sci-fi star Leonard Nimoy.
Rutger Hauer played many other roles in the past several decades, and will be remembered for his performances and good heart. We offer our condolences to his family and friends.
