“Over the past 18 months, he approached his diagnosis with a characteristic grace and dignity,” the family told Newsweek in a statement.
The message continued: “He will be missed hugely by us, his family and friends, and remembered as a kind-hearted, generous and compassionate man, partner and father, whose legacy of extraordinary work has touched the lives of so many over the years. We are heartbroken.”
The BBC was the first to report the news.
According to IMDb, the England native had a difficult childhood. He was born out of wedlock in Manchester on July 29, 1941. His father often changed jobs, meaning Warner attended eight different schools. His parents split up when he was a teenager, and he lost touch with his mother for seven years.
After taking on various odd jobs, Warner was accepted at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. From there, he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and landed his first role in 1963’s Tom Jones. Later, he would appear in Time After Time, Tron and Star Trek, though he’s arguably most famous for his role as Spicer Lovejoy in Titanic.
“It was not an easy film to make,” Warner told Red Carpet News TV at Comic-Con in 2019, referring to Titanic. He added, however, that he “loved working with Leonardo [DiCaprio] and Kate [Winslet], of course.”
“You never know when you’re making a film how it’s going to turn out,” he said, admitting, however, that it “seemed to deliver the goods.”
Following news of his passing, fans and celebrities took to social media to share tributes to the late actor.
“Very sad to hear of David Warner’s passing, an actor with a huge legacy on stage & screen and unforgettable roles in; Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment, Straw Dogs, From Beyond the Grave, The Omen, Time After Time, Time Bandits, Tron, Titanic and much more,” writer and director Edgar Wright shared via Twitter. “He will be missed.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda posted a photo with Warner, writing his own heartfelt message: “So glad to have been able to express my admiration for David Warner’s incredible versatility and career in our time together on set,” he said. “Even talked him into doing a Random Roles interview with @NonStopPop, because my goodness, what a life and legacy.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Who’s official Twitter account wrote: “We’re sad to report the passing of David Warner, who appeared in Cold War in 2013. He was also known for playing his own incarnation of the Doctor with @bigfinish,” they shared alongside a heart emoji.
Warner is survived by his partner, Lisa Bowerman, his son Luke, daughter-in-law Sarah, friend Jane Spencer Prior and first wife Harriet Evans.
Update 07/25/22, 12:14 p.m. ET: This article was updated with a statement from Warner’s family.
