His family says, 'Bob died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia,' and they 'are devastated by the loss' of the 71-year-old actor.
- May 1, 2014
AceShowbiz - Bob Hoskins, known for playing Cockneys and gangsters, has passed away at the age of 71. His family has released a statement confirming that the British actor "died peacefully at hospital last night [Tuesday, April 29] surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia."
"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob," the family continued, asking people to "respect our privacy during this time" and thanking fans and friends "for your messages of love and support." He's survived by his wife of 30 years, Linda, and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack.
His youngest daughter later shared life lessons that her father taught them before he died. In a moving blog post entitled "11 lessons from my Dad", Rosa wrote, "The loss of my dad has broken my heart, but these are the words I'll keep close to me forever." She added, "They are his words; the words spoken so often to encourage, comfort and reassure."
The fashion writer and actress revealed his advice include instructions to "laugh long and loud," to "be yourself" and to "never, ever, ever, ever give up." He also told his family to appreciate beauty, to be "generous and kind, because you can't take it with you," and to "love with all your heart," because "in the end, love is the only thing that matters."
Fellow stars have paid tribute to Hoskins, whose notable works include the one in 1986's "Mona Lisa". Judi Dench, who co-starred Hoskins in "Mrs Henderson Presents", said she's "so very sorry" to hear of his death. Helen Mirren rememberd him as a "great actor and even greater man," adding that she "personally will miss him very much, London will miss one of her best and most loving sons, and Britain will miss a man to be proud of."
Samuel L. Jackson additionally called him a "truly gigantic talent and a gentleman," while Stephen Fry dubbed him a "marvellous man." BAFTA also said through a spokesman that they're "deeply saddened" by his passing.
Hoskins, who's also best remembered for his roles in "The Long Good Friday" (1980), "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (1988), "Hook" (1991), "A Christmas Carol" (2009) and "Neverland" (2011), announced his retirement in 2012 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His last movie was 2012's "Snow White and the Huntsman".
