Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman films, dies at 87

LONDON (AP) — Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87.

His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes from and an array of fans and those close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, better known as Bafta.

Bill Duke, who starred with Stamp in director Steven Soderbergh’s 1999 crime drama “The Limey,” said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of his death.

“He brought a rare intensity to the screen, but off-screen he carried himself with warmth, grace, and generosity,” he said on Facebook.

The London-born Stamp started his film career with 1962’s seafaring “Billy Budd,” for which he earned nominations for Oscar and Bafta awards.

Stamp’s six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994’s “The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” the second of his two Bafta nominations.

But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978’s “Superman” and its sequel “Superman II” two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker, charming and vulnerable — more human — element to the franchise, one that’s been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since. 

Stamp started his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was five years older than himself. The pair lived together in a flat in central London while looking for their big break.

He got his break with “Billy Budd” and Stamp embarked on a career that would see him in the early 1960s be part of the “angry young men” movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking.

That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles’ creepy debut novel “The Collector,” where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar’s Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh off his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier.

“I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962’s “Term of Trial”),” Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. “And he said to me, ‘You should always study your voice.’” Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, “‘Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.’”

His career took a bit of a hiatus from the late 1960s after he missed out on the role of James Bond to replace Sean Connery, that included a years-long stint in India and which saw him embrace a more holistic approach to his self. 

It was the unexpected role of General Zod that brought him back to the limelight. His career, which also saw him play the role of Finis Valoru, the Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, in 1999’s first Star Wars prequel “The Phantom Menace,” ended with the 2021 psychological thriller “Last Night In Soho.”

Born in London’s East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O’Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children.

Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look.

He generally sought to keep his standards high, but up to a point.

“I don’t do crappy movies, unless I haven’t got the rent,” he said.