Robert Forster, the veteran character actor who received an his Oscar nomination for his performance in Quentin Tarantino’s 1997 film Jackie Brown, has died at the age of 78.
The actor’s publicist confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that Forster died Friday at his Los Angeles home following a battle with brain cancer.
Forster’s death came the same day his final role was released on Netflix. It was a reprisal of his Breaking Bad role of Ed “the Disappearer” in the spinoff film El Camino.
Forster also had key roles in Mulholland Drive and the Twin Peaks 2017 reboot.
“With more than 100 film credits spanning six decades, Robert Forster was a prolific talent who radiated warmth and kindness in everything he did,” the Academy tweeted.
With more than 100 film credits spanning six decades, Robert Forster was a prolific talent who radiated warmth and kindness in everything he did. In 1998, he earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in “Jackie Brown.” Thank you, Robert, for all that you’ve given us. pic.twitter.com/ZwTj21xfw6
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) October 12, 2019
“In 1998, he earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in Jackie Brown. Thank you, Robert, for all that you’ve given us.”
Forster’s Jackie Brown co-star Samuel L. Jackson added, “RIP Robert Forster!! A truly class act/Actor!!”
RIP Robert Forster!! A truly class act/ Actor!!
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) October 12, 2019
Born in Rochester, New York and the son of a Ringling Bros. circus animal trainer, Forster’s long and often difficult career in Hollywood began with a role in director John Huston’s 1967 film Reflections in a Golden Eye, starring Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor.
In 1969, Forster tackled the lead role of a cameraman during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Haskell Wexler’s cinema verite classic Medium Cool.
