Farewell to a cinema legend
The world of cinema is in mourning after the recent death of Donald Sutherland, an iconic and versatile actor who left an indelible mark on the film industry. At 88 years old, Sutherland left us on Thursday, June 20 in Miami, leaving a legacy of more than one hundred characters played throughout his career. His son, Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed the sad news in an emotional statement, revealing that his father had battled a long illness. Despite his advanced age, Donald continued to work tirelessly, motivated by both his passion and the financial need to support his extended family. Curiously, despite his extensive career, the ‘Hunger Games’ actor died in precarious financial circumstances, a surprising fact for many.
Love and challenges in the life of Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland’s love story began at the University of Toronto in the late 1950s. During his engineering and theater studies, he met his first wife, Lois Hardwick. In 1959, the couple married and, with big dreams and ambitions, they moved to London and then to Hollywood. It was during this period that the actor participated in the iconic film ‘Dirty Dozen’, marking the beginning of a prolific film career.
However, professional success also brought with it personal tensions. The stress of work and the demands of the film industry seemed to take their toll on her marriage. In the mid-1960s, Donald and Lois divorced, a difficult time that coincided with the takeoff of his big screen career.
Shortly after his first divorce, Donald Sutherland found love again in the arms of another actress, Shirley Douglas. The two met while working on the film ‘Castle of the Living Dead’, where Donald began to stand out for his intense blue eyes. Although his marriage to Shirley was brief, together they had two children: Kiefer, who would follow in his father’s footsteps into the world of acting, and Rachel, his twin.
But like his first marriage, his union with Shirley also ended in divorce. However, this second failure in love did not discourage Donald, who finally found the emotional and family stability that he was looking for in his third wife, Francine Racette.
In 1972, Donald Sutherland married Francine Racette, an actress with whom he formed a solid family and had three children: Roeg, Rossif and Angus. This period marked the peak of his career, with unforgettable roles in films such as ‘Klute’ and ‘Shadow Menace’. With Francine, it seemed that Sutherland had found the perfect formula: a stable family and a rising career.
Behind the scenes: The economic reality of Donald Sutherland
However, behind the glamor of Hollywood, Donald Sutherland’s economic reality was very different from what the public imagined. In his later years, Sutherland revealed that he did not have enough money to live on rent and that he had to continue working to support his family. Despite his fame and success in the film industry, Sutherland was in a precarious financial situation, forcing him to choose roles not for prestige, but out of economic necessity. Despite his silver hair and piercing gaze, Sutherland was forced to continue working to meet the bills piling up on his desk.