LONDON – British actor Pete Postlethwaite, who was once described by Steven Spielberg as “probably the best actor in the world,” has died at the age of 64.
The distinguished character actor passed away in hospital Sunday after a long battle with cancer, according to longtime friend Andrew Richardson. Spielberg used Postlethwaite twice, in “Amistad” and “The Lost World: Jurassic Park.” In 2007, the actor disputed Spielberg’s high praise, telling, “I’m sure what Spielberg actually said was, ‘the thing about Pete is that he thinks he’s the best actor in the world.’
” Postlethwaite’s recent work included appearances in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster hit “Inception” and Ben Affleck’s “The Town” – but many will remember him best for his role as the mysterious Mr. Kobayashi in “The Usual Suspects” and his Oscar-nominated turn in the 1993 film “In The Name of the Father.”
