Dutch actor Rutger Hauer has sadly passed away at the age of 75 after a short, unspecified illness. His agent, Steve Kenis, confirmed the news and said that Hauer’s funeral was held Wednesday.
Hauer appeared in several popular films in The Nederlands before landing the role of the villain in 1981 Sylvester Stallone thriller Nighthawks. Soon after, he portrayed arguably his most memorable character in Ridley Scott's sci-fi classic, Blade Runner.
Hauer delivered - and wrote - one of the most iconic monologues in cinema history ("I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...") as brutal, but passionate replicant Roy Batty, who decides to save his enemy's (Harrison Ford's Deckard) life before dying himself.
Roles in other '80s film such as Ladyhawke, Flesh and Blood and The Hitcher followed, and more recently he appeared in the likes of Sin City and Batman Begins.
Hauer is survived by his second wife of 50 years, Ineke ten Cate, and a daughter, actress Aysha Hauer, from his marriage to Heidi Merz.