John Hurt

Another exceptional talent has left the earth. I first developed a great admiration for him when he did that brilliant cameo in Spaceballs. I guess I thought he was just a stuffy English actor, but after seeing him in Spaceballs he suddenly became, to me, a real live person. One with humour and charm and I really respected him for that small role. That admiration only grew more so when I saw him play Joseph Merrick (my dear ole childhood pal!) in David Lynch's remarkable film The Elephant Man. It was such a beautiful, tender, and eloquent portrayal. All throughout his career, John Hurt delivered some incredible and unforgettable performances and I'm truly sad that he's gone.

My top ten favourite JH films:

The Tigger Movie

The Elephant Man

Alien

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Perfume

Spaceballs

Hellboy

V for Vendetta

Gentleman in New York