Ian Gelder, esteemed 'Game of Thrones' actor, passes at 74

Ian Gelder has died. The actor became known to viewers as Kevan Lannister in the "Game of Thrones." The man was 74 years old.

The death of Ian Gelder was announced on Instagram by his husband and actor, Ben Daniels. Gelder passed away at the age of 74 on Monday, May 6, five months after being diagnosed with bile duct cancer.

"I stopped working to become his caregiver, but neither of us had any idea that everything would happen so quickly. He was my absolute rock; we had been together for over 30 years. If we weren't together, we spoke to each other every day. He was the kindest, most generous, and loving person. He was a marvellous, wonderful actor, and everyone who worked with him was moved by his heart and light," Daniels wrote.

"I don’t know what I’ll do without him by my side. With such courage and without self-pity, he faced his terrible disease. He was extraordinary, and he will be greatly missed. This photo was taken during the Christmas period after I took him out of the hospital, and although he had spent the worst three weeks there, you can still see his joy and love," Daniels added in his post.

Born in 1949, Gelder began his acting career in the 1970s. The actor mainly appeared in television movies and series, rarely in cinema movies. One of the few credits to his name is “King Ralph” with John Goodman. As is often the case in the UK, he was also strongly connected with the theatre. He played in plays based on Shakespeare, among others.

Gelder became more recognizable when he joined "Game of Thrones" in 2011, embodying Kevan Lannister. He ultimately appeared in 12 episodes of the series, last appearing in season 6. In 2019, he was seen in the series "His Dark Materials," based on the bestselling trilogy by Philip Pullman. The year following, "Doctor Who" fans could see him in the twelfth season of the production.

Let’s not forget that on May 5, another esteemed British actor, Bernard Hill, died at 79. His agent, Lou Coulson, informed him about his death. He was known for such films as "Titanic" and "The Lord of the Rings." In the first, he played the captain of the titular ship Edward James Smith, whose decision to surprise passengers by arriving at the destination a day earlier led to the tragedy of the British transatlantic liner. In the second, he played the role of Théoden, King of Rohan.

The cause of Hill's death is not known. However, it doesn’t change the fact that there is a recent string of deaths among British actors.