Oscar-Winning Actor Alan Arkin Dead
Alan Arkin, known for his iconic role in Little Miss Sunshine, has died at the age of 89. His three adored kids, Adam, Matthew, and Anthony, revealed his passing to People magazine today in a joint statement.
“Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man,” the family wrote in a heartfelt statement.
“A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.” In the middle of the 2000s, Alan co-starred in the comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine with Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and Abigail Breslin.
He portrayed a grouchy granddad in the movie who used drugs and had a foul mouth. He received the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Part as well as the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the part.
When he received the coveted Academy Award for the role in 2007, he touchingly said: “More than anything, I’m deeply moved by the open-hearted appreciation our small film has received, which in these fragmented times speaks so openly of the possibility of innocence, growth, and connection.”
His debut Broadway role was in 1961, and throughout his illustrious career, the New York-born actor and director enlivened both theatre and cinema. Over the course of his career, which spanned eight decades, Alan won a number of honours, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a Tony Award.
Along with his part in the comedy-drama that became a fan favourite, he also starred in a number of other movies like Bad Medicine, Indian Summer, and Picture Window. His career was jam-packed with acting opportunities.
Alan Wolf Arkin was an American actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his performances on stage and screen. Throughout his career spanning over eight decades, he received various accolades, including an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a British Academy Film Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award.
On March 26, 1934, David I. Arkin, a painter and author, and his wife Beatrice, a teacher, welcomed their son Arkin into the world in Brooklyn, New York. There was “no emphasis on religion” in his Jewish family’s upbringing. His grandparents came to the United States as Jews from Germany, Russia, and Ukraine.
When Alan was 11 years old, his family relocated to Los Angeles, but an 8-month Hollywood strike cost his father his position as a set designer.
Arkin’s parents were accused of being Communists during the Red Scare of the 1950s, and his father lost his job for refusing to discuss his political beliefs. David Arkin contested his termination, but it wasn’t until after his passing that he was vindicated.
