Actor Pete Postlethwaite, 'a rare and remarkable man', dies at 64

OSCAR-nominated actor Pete Postlethwaite, who was once described by Steven Spielberg as "probably the best actor in the world", has died of cancer after a long illness.

• Postlethwaite in 2008

Postlethwaite, who was 64, was nominated for an Oscar for his role in In the Name of the Father, the 1993 film about the wrongful convictions of the Guildford Four for an IRA bombing.

His other notable credits included Brassed Off, The Usual Suspects, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Amistad - as well as an acclaimed performance of King Lear in a 2008 stage production.

Actor Bill Nighy, who performed with Postlethwaite at the Everyman theatre in the 1970s, paid tribute to "a rare and remarkable man".

Nighy said: "I was honoured by his friendship - he is irreplaceable."

Despite the critical acclaim for his work and the big Hollywood names he worked with, Postlethwaite, who was born in Warrington in Cheshire, had a reputation for being a modest man, who was kind to those who worked with him.

Actor David Schneider said: "Anyone who worked with him felt great affection for him. He was very un-actory. Sort of like a national treasure.

• Obituary

• Film speech hit home with deputy PM

"There is so much affection for him, a wonderful actor and a wonderful bloke."

One friend, who asked not to be named, paid tribute to "a man of enormous dignity and integrity", saying: "He was self-deprecating, enormously funny, and had little time for fame or celebrity.

"The biggest love of his life was not acting, it was his family."

Postlethwaite had originally planned to train as a priest, and worked as a drama teacher before beginning his stage career at the Everyman theatre in Liverpool.

He was one of a generation of politically aware actors - which included Nighy, Alison Steadman and Julie Walters, who was a close friend.

An intensely private man away from the screen, Postlethwaite said the number one passion in his life was his family, although he was also well-known for his support for left-wing causes and his belief that cinema and theatre could change the world for the better.

He said: "When we were back at the Everyman, everything had to relate to the community, it had to say something about people's lives.

"That never changed for me, that's why I said no to a lot of roles.

"In works like Brassed Off or In The Name Of The Father, we were trying to say something, we were trying to convey a message."

Postlethwaite said of Brassed Off: "The moment I saw the script, there was no question. I knew that I had to do it.

"It was about everything that I believed in.

I just wanted to know when we were going to start filming."

He is survived by his wife, Jacqui, son Will and daughter Lily.