This Beloved Character Actor Has Died

The beloved English character actor whose career spanned 40 years and included such highlights as Who Framed Roger Rabbit (as Eddie Valiant), Hook, Mermaids, Brazil, The Long Good Friday, Snow White and the Huntsman, Nixon, Hollywoodland, Enemy at the Gates, and Mona Lisa (for which he earned an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe), Bob Hoskins died at the age of 71 after a bout with pneumonia. His publicist confirmed the news on Wednesday. Hoskins, who retired from acting in 2012 following his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in 2011, is survived by his wife Linda and their four children Alex, Sarah, Rosa, and Jack. The family said in a statement: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob.”

Hoskins, who began his career on stage and television (he continued to work on the small screen throughout his career, including the beloved 1978 mini-series Pennies From Heaven and his celebrated turn on the 2009 BBC drama The Street), eventually moved on to film where he became a vital, versatile presence to the craft. The actor -- who turned out brilliant performances in any and every genre -- had not only become a familiar face with moviegoers, but a widely respected one among his peers and critics alike.

In the wake of his passing, Hollywood has already begun to pay tribute to the life and on-screen legacy of Hoskins. Nick Frost, who appeared with the actor in 2012's Snow White and the Huntsman (which would mark Hoskins' final role), wrote "Terribly sad news about Bob Hoskins. A pleasure to have shared the screen with you mate. An Actors actor and a gentleman to boot." Film critic Leonard Maltin reflected on Hoskins' career, "Bob Hoskins was always a powerful screen presence & so incredibly talented. Rest in peace sir, and thank you for all of your wonderful work."

It's hard to imagine the state of movies without Hoskins over the past four decades, and his absence will be impossible to replace. While many of us perhaps know him best from his films we grew up with, like the classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit, he has left behind a tremendous body of work that will be admired for generations to come.