Joss Ackland, Actor from “Lethal Weapon 2” and “Mighty Ducks”, Dead at 95: 'One of Britain's Most Talented'

The actor died Sunday, Nov. 19, his rep confirmed

Joss Ackland, an actor known for roles in Lethal Weapon 2 and The Hunt for Red October, died at age 95.

A rep for the actor, Paul Pearson, confirmed to PEOPLE that Ackland died Sunday morning "with his family around." Added Pearson, "He was lucid, erudite and mischievous to the end. I loved him deeply and, for me, he is the reason we have the word magnificent in the dictionary."

Deadline reported a statement shared by the actor's family that read, "With his distinctive voice and commanding presence, Ackland brought a unique intensity and gravitas to his role."

They added, "He will be remembered as one of Britain’s most talented and beloved actors."

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The London-born actor's screen career spans over six decades and more than 100 films and TV appearances.

In 1989's Lethal Weapon 2, which co-starred Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, Ackland's villain Arjen Rudd delivered the memorable line of dialogue, "Diplomatic immunity."

In addition to that action sequel and 1990's The Hunt for Red October, Ackland is also known for roles in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, White Mischief and The Mighty Ducks.

Back in 2001, Ackland admitted to the Radio Times, according to The Guardian, that he starred in "an awful lot of crap" over the years.

"I do an awful lot of crap, but if it's not immoral, I don't mind. I'm a workaholic. Sometimes it's a form of masochism," he said at the time.

"I was in Mad Dogs and Englishmen, a Liz Hurley thing, which was God-awful and quite rightly torn to shreds. Then there was Passion of Mind last year with Demi Moore. Terrible script — awful, actually, but I needed the money," continued Ackland.

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About being type-cast as a villain, he added, "I'm so tired of not being able to make a movie without a car chase, or the villain dying twice. It's all exactly the same."

According to Variety, the actor's wife Rosemary died in 2002. They'd been married for 51 years.

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