Menu Close
Menu

Andrew Jack, ‘Star Wars’ actor and voice coach, dies from Covid-19 – CNN

admin 0 Comments

 

On Tuesday, the actor, 76 — who had roles in the Star Wars films and worked as a dialect coach on the Lord of the Rings film series and other big screen projects — died due to complications from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). His wife, fellow dialect coach–to-the-stars Gabrielle Rogers, was unable to be with him due to quarantine protocols, a rep for Jack told the Evening Standard.

Rogers shared news of her husband’s passing on Twitter, writing: “We lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with Coronavirus 2 days ago. He was in no pain, and he slipped away peacefully knowing that his family were all ‘with’ him.”

Several stars replied to her tweet, sharing their sympathies in the wake of the tragedy.

Actor Sam Claflin, who worked with Jack on 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman, wrote: “An incredible man with such an incredible talent. Genuinely broken hearted to hear this. Sending love and strength to all.”

Sam Neill also spoke highly of Jack, who he collaborated with on 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. “I am stricken to hear this. A lovely man Andrew, and a joy to work with,” wrote the actor, to which Rogers replied, “Thank you Sam: he loved working with you.”

LOTR cast members Elijah Wood and Sean Astin also reacted to the news, with Astin, 49, sharing that Jack “made a mean curry … was powerful & gentle in equal measure.”

“So heartbreaking to learn that Andrew Jack has passed away. He, along with Roisin Carty, lead all of us through the many accents of Middle-Earth,” tweeted Wood, 39. “He was a kind and lovely human being. My love to his family and friends.”

Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise, said Jack was a “joy to be with” on set.

“I had a good day today. Then I heard Andrew Jack had been killed by the C.Virus,” Daniels, 74, tweeted. “He was a joy to be with on the new trilogy. As dialect coach, he helped the cast get it right through his talent and humour. As an actor, his distinguished features made him stand out in any scene.”

Anthony Daniels pays tribute to Andrew Jack

The U.K. native was most recently hired to be the dialect coach on Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader. Production for the film is now on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak.

“Andrew was a legend, and such a kind man,” wrote the director on Twitter. “We are all absolutely heartbroken. Our hearts go out to his family. Rest in peace, Andrew…”

As a dialect coach, Jack worked closely with Robert Downey Jr. on multiple films, including the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film and this year’s Dolittle. He also served as dialect coach on various Marvel films, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

(CNN)Andrew Jack, a British actor and dialect coach who had roles in a number of “Star Wars” movies, has died aged 76 after contracting Covid-19, his agent has said.

Jack played Major (and then General) Ematt in “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens” and “Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi.”
He also worked as a vocal coach on a number of blockbuster movie franchises, including “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Avengers.”
Jack’s agent, Jill McCullough, said in a statement that he died on Tuesday in a hospital in Surrey, England, as a result of the coronavirus.
“Andrew lived on one of the oldest working houseboats on the Thames, he was fiercely independent but madly in love with his wife, also a dialect coach, Gabrielle Rogers,” McCullough said.
“Tragically she is stuck in quarantine in Australia, having just flown in from New Zealand last week. She was unable to see or talk to him at the end of his life and there is a chance a funeral may not be held.”
“He was still working full pelt, currently coaching on the new Batman,” McCullough added, referring to “The Batman,” which is set for release in 2021. “Dialect coaching isn’t just about being good at accents — you need to make your actors feel safe and confident — and Andrew’s actors adored him.”
Jack had a long-running association with the “Star Wars” movies and had roles both in front of and behind the camera. He also had voice parts, including as Moloch in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
American actor Sean Astin, who worked with Jack on “The Lord of the Rings” movies, paid tribute to him on Twitter, saying that he “made a mean curry” and “was powerful & gentle in equal measure.”
“Andrew Jack loved a unique theory of gravity, that we are all being pushed down, instead of pulled down. We loved Andrew Jack,” he added.
Producer Christopher Miller, executive producer of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” tweeted: “Andrew Jack was the dialect coach on SOLO, and a kind and thoughtful man. We asked him to teach Alden to speak Shyriiwook, and I’ll always remember listening to them gargle-roar at each other back and forth.”

CNN’s Max Ramsay contributed to this report.

Source: Andrew Jack, ‘Star Wars’ actor and voice coach, dies from Covid-19 – CNN

Tagged ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *