Rutger Hauer passed away in Netherlands on 19 July 2019, although his death was not announced until July 24, following a private funeral. His death followed a short illness, according to Variety. He leaves his wife Ineke, after they have been together for fifty years.
READ MORE: Review: Rutger Hauer entertains at London Film and Comic Con
Hauer is probably best known for his role as the self-aware replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott’s masterpiece Blade Runner, where he starred alongside Harrison Ford. Hauer’s character in the movie gives an oft-recited monologue (dubbed ‘Tears in Rain’) during his final showdown with Ford’s character Deckard at the end of the movie. Hauer helped with the writing of the dialogue.
I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die
.
Hauer began his career in theater, embarking on more experimental roles (including the touring experimental troupe Noorder Compagnie). He followed this with a series of art-house films with Paul Verhoeven, before Hollywood beckoned and his first major U.S. movie role was with Sylvester Stallone.
Outside of Blade Runner, Hauer featured in a number of horror and vampire roles, such as playing Van Helsing in Dracula 3D, plus a vampire in the television show Salem’s Lot (which was based on the Stephen King novel). Other films included Escape from Sobibor, Nighthawks, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wedlock, Sin City, and Batman Begins, plus the unforgettable Canadian-U.S. black comedy action exploitation film Hobo with a Shotgun, where Hauer was in the lead role.
A passionate environmentalist, Hauer also ran a charity called the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association, a non-profit focusing on helping children and pregnant women with HIV/AIDS. For his charitable work, Hauer was made a knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2013.