Max von Sydow, Game of Thrones and The Exorcist Star, Dead at 90

Swedish actor Max von Sydow died at the age of 90 on Sunday. His wife Catherine von Sydow confirmed his death to theParis Match on Monday. "It is with a broken heart and infinite sadness that we announce the departure of Max von Sydow on March 8, 2020," her statement read.

Max von Sydow was born in 1929 in Lund, Sweden, as Carl Adolf von Sydow. He studied at the Royal Dramatic Theatre School in Stockholm before making his film debut in 1949's Only a Mother. He later developed a close working relationship with director Ingmar Bergman, who cast von Sydow in his films in several of his films, including The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, The Virgin Spring, Winter Light, Through a Glass Darkly, The Hour of the Wolf, Shame, The Passion of Anna, The Magician, The Touch, and Brink of Life.

The actor received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his turn as an immigrant father in 1987's Pelle the Conquerer, and he was later nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his wordless turn as "The Renter" in 2011's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Von Sydow was also celebrated for his work as Father Merrin in 1973's The Exorcist, which earned von Sydow his second Golden Globe nomination, following his nomination for his turn as Rev. Abner Hale in the 1966 drama Hawaii. Other notably silver screen appearances for the actor included his work as Jesus in 1965's The Greatest Story Ever Told, as Otto Frank in the 1967 TV movie adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank, as the Emperor Ming in the 1980 film Flash Gordon, and as Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again. He also played Frederick in the 1986 dramedy Hannah and Her Sisters, the menacing shop owner Leland Gaunt in the 1993 adaptation of Stephen King's Needful Things, Director Lamar Burgess in 2002's Minority Report, Papinou in 2007's The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and Dr. Naehring in 2010's Shutter Island.

Von Sydow also appeared as Lor San Tekka in 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, and Game of Thrones fans will remember him as the Three-Eyed Raven from Season 6. Although his decades-long career was mostly spent starring in films, he was also known for his small screen work in the 1985 TV mini-seriesThe Last Place on Earth and his role as Cardinal von Waldburg in Showtime's The Tudors.

Following the news of his death, Hollywood tributes to the late actor and his legacy have been pouring in on social media.