July 18, 2024, 13:34
The world of cinema mourned the loss of a legend on June 20, 2024, as Donald Sutherland, the acclaimed actor known for his unforgettable roles in films like Don’t Look Now, Kelly’s Heroes, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and The Hunger Games franchise, passed away at the age of 88.
While the news reverberated throughout Hollywood, it was Sutherland’s family, particularly his son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, who felt the weight of his absence most profoundly. Kiefer himself shared the news of his father’s passing, writing, “With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away.”
He added, “I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Following in his father’s footsteps, Kiefer also embarked on an acting career. In a recent interview with Metro, he opened up about the profound impact his father had on him and how he came to truly appreciate the “special” nature of Donald’s talent.
Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland at an event in 2016.
Kiefer admitted that he didn’t fully grasp the significance of his father’s work until later in life. “My dad was a world-famous actor. And I knew that as a young person, but I hadn’t seen any of his films,” he shared. “And that’s because I wasn’t allowed; it wasn’t because my mom and dad broke up. You couldn’t take a ten-year-old into a restricted movie, and all my dad’s movies were restricted.”
This changed when, as a young adult, Kiefer encountered his father’s films for the first time during a visit to a friend’s house. “I was staying at a friend’s house and he had this vast, homemade VHS collection. And he had about six of my dad’s films,” Kiefer recounted. “I think in two days I watched Fellini’s Casanova, Bertolucci’s 1900, Kelly’s Heroes, M*A*S*H* I think was one of them. And…I’m missing one. It’s a Nic Roeg film, one of my favourite films ever,” he said, referring to Don’t Look Now.
This experience had a profound effect on Kiefer. “I phoned him up and I said, ‘I feel really bad. I feel like a bad son’,” Kiefer confessed. Overwhelmed by the sheer brilliance and range of his father’s performances, Kiefer was filled with a newfound respect and admiration. “I said, ‘Look, I’m just absolutely floored by the diversity of all of these characters. I knew you were famous. You know, I didn’t know how special you were, and how good and I’m really sorry’.”
Donald’s response, as Kiefer recalled, was both understanding and characteristically paternal. “‘Well, how could you know? How could you have seen those films?'” he had replied, acknowledging the age restrictions that had prevented Kiefer from seeing them earlier.
Kiefer Sutherland and Donald Sutherland pose for a photo together.
Kiefer then shared a heartwarming detail that revealed the enduring bond between father and son, regardless of fame. He said, “Above all, he recalls the scenario and how Donald entered ‘dad mode’ immediately, replying with: ‘Who’s house are you staying at?'”
The anecdote serves as a touching reminder that beneath the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the relationship between a father and son remains a universal constant, defined by love, concern, and a hint of playful authority.
