Yesterday, we lost the brilliant actor Max von Sydow. According to the BBC, he died at the age of 90.
Max von Sydow was born as Carl Adolf von Sydow on April 10th, 1929 in Lund, Sweden. He started acting in the mid-1950s and first worked with Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Von Sydow went on to star in numerous Bergman films, including The Seventh Seal (the movie best known for the scene where a knight plays chess with Death).
Von Sydow’s first breakout role in American films was as Jesus in 1965’s The Greatest Story Ever Told. Eventually, he portrayed more iconic characters, including King Osric from Conan the Barbarian, Ming the Merciless from Flash Gordon, and Father Merrin from The Exorcist.
More recently, Von Sydow played the Three-Eyed Raven from Game of Thrones and Lor San Tekka from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He also has several video game credits under his belt, including Esbern in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Lor San Tekka in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Vigo in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (he also voiced Vigo in Ghostbusters II).
Von Sydow has received several award nominations for his roles, including two Oscars, two Golden Globes and two Emmies. He leaves his wife, Catherine Brelet, and four sons.
