We’re absolutely shocked to report that Bill Paxton has died at the age of 61, due to complications from surgery. This was confirmed to multiple outlets by his family, who issued the following statement:
“It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery… A loving husband and father, Bill began his career in Hollywood working on films in the art department and went on to have an illustrious career spanning four decades as a beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker. Bill’s passion for the arts was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth and tireless energy were undeniable. We ask to please respect the family’s wish for privacy as they mourn the loss of their adored husband and father.”
Having gone toe-to-toe with aliens, a terminator, and a predator, Bill Paxton was a huge presence for genre fans growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, providing eternally quotable performances in Aliens, Near Dark, The Terminator, and Predator 2.
Paxton continued to stay busy in front of the camera throughout the 2000s and 2010s, appearing in films like Club Dread, Nightcrawler, and Edge of Tomorrow. In the early 2000s, he stepped behind the camera to give horror fans the thought-provoking Frailty in his feature film directorial debut.
He did excellent work outside of the genre as well, playing the lead role of Bill Henrickson in Big Love, Fred Haise in Apollo 13, Brock Lovett in Titanic, Lt. Cmdr. Mike Dahlgren in U-571, and Sam Houston in Texas Rising.
Paxton's powerful presence on screen will live on to influence future generations, and our thoughts are with his family and friends during this extremely difficult time.
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