Tom Sizemore's Life, Career and Controversies: Everything to Know

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Tom Sizemore is famous for his acting roles in mega-productions including Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. The actor is also infamous for the legal troubles and substance abuse problems he battled during his life.

At 61 years old, Sizemore died on March 3, 2023, after being hospitalized due to a brain aneurysm two weeks prior. In a statement, Sizemore's rep shared the news: "It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore ("Tom Sizemore") aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph's Hospital Burbank."

Sizemore, a Detroit native, got his acting break in the 1989 Oliver Stone film Born on the Fourth of July. His career continued to take off in the 1990s, as Sizemore worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood. He appeared opposite Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey Jr. and Tommy Lee Jones in the 1994 film Natural Born Killers; a year later, he followed it up by working with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on the 1995 movie Heat.

But Sizemore's best-known role came in 1998 when he starred alongside Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.

"I was very, very happy with the way my career was," Sizemore told the Los Angeles Times in 2005. "Playing second fiddle to Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan is nothing [to sneeze at]..."

And although Sizemore continued to work in Hollywood in the decades that followed — including appearances in films like Pearl Harbor, roles in television shows like Twin Peaks and Shooter and voice-over work — his career became plagued by problems in his personal life, legal troubles and substance abuse issues. The actor was arrested multiple times, most notably in 2003 for domestic violence against his then-girlfriend Heidi Fleiss. From 2007 to 2009, Sizemore served time in prison for probation violations. He was also sued in 2018 by an actress who claimed he molested her when she was 11 years old back in 2003.

From his career highs to his legal and personal struggles, here's a complete look at Tom Sizemore's ups and downs over the years.

1989: Tom Sizemore stars in one of his first films, Born on the Fourth of July

In 1989, Sizemore had a small part in the anti-war drama Born on the Fourth of July — one of his earliest roles. The Oliver Stone film also starred Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick and Willem Dafoe.

1996: Tom Sizemore marries actress Maeve Quinlan

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Sizemore wed actress and former tennis pro Maeve Quinlan in 1996. Quinlan got her big break playing Megan on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

The couple also starred in the 1999 film The Florentine together, along with Jim Belushi and Luke Perry.

1997: Tom Sizemore is arrested on suspicion of assaulting Quinlan

The actor was reportedly arrested in Los Angeles after Quinlan called the police and claimed the two had been in a physical argument. Quinlan told police Sizemore had injured her, but she later declined to press charges.

July 1998: Tom Sizemore stars in Saving Private Ryan

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Sizemore starred in Steven Spielberg's World War II drama Saving Private Ryan as Mike Horvath, Tom Hanks' second-in-command. The film earned multiple accolades, winning the Golden Globe for best drama and the Academy Award for Best Director, among others.

"It was the greatest experience of my life actually as an actor," Sizemore said in a press interview about filming Saving Private Ryan.

1999: Tom Sizemore and Maeve Quinlan divorce

Quinlan and Sizemore divorced in 1999, the L.A. Times reported.

"She left me," Sizemore later told The Daily Beast about his divorce. "I used to tell people that I left her. I was always minimizing everything."

January 23, 2000: Tom Sizemore earns a Golden Globe nomination

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Sizemore scored his first Golden Globe nomination for playing Boston career criminal Bobby "Bats" Batton in the HBO film Witness Protection. The role earned him a nod for best actor in a miniseries or television film.

He was up against actors Sam Shepard, Liev Schreiber and Jack Lemmon in the category. He lost the Golden Globe to Lemmon, who won for the Showtime film Inherit the Wind.

2001: Tom Sizemore stars in Black Hawk Down

Three years after Saving Private Ryan premiered, Sizemore played another soldier in the 2001 movie Black Hawk Down. The film, which was based on a true United States military operation in 1993, also starred Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy and Orlando Bloom.

December 2002: Tom Sizemore is arrested on suspicion of hitting and threatening a woman

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The Black Hawk Down actor was arrested in December 2002 on suspicion of hitting and threatening a woman who claimed to be his fiancée, Entertainment Weekly reported. The woman told police that she and Sizemore were arguing about wedding plans when he "punched her in the face and threw her to the ground."

Sizemore's lawyer said at the time, "Tom Sizemore is a popular and nice guy. An individual became unruly when asked to leave and was escorted out of Mr. Sizemore's house. Subsequently, the individual asked me, Mr. Sizemore's attorney, for money. This is a shakedown and we are confident that it will go away."

Following his arrest, however, CBS put its police drama Robbery Homicide Division — which starred Sizemore — on "indefinite hiatus."

May 2003: Tom Sizemore is arrested for threatening his ex-girlfriend Heidi Fleiss

The actor's trouble with the law continued when he was arrested in L.A. for allegedly threatening his ex-girlfriend Heidi Fleiss, in an attempt to prevent her from testifying against him in his previous domestic violence case.

Sizemore's publicist released a statement at the time of his arrest that read: "Tom Sizemore and Heidi Fleiss have had a turbulent and unhealthy relationship. For his own well being, Mr. Sizemore had decided to move on. It is regrettable that Ms. Fleiss has elected to publicly display her anger at Mr. Sizemore's decision. Mr. Sizemore is confident that he will be vindicated in court."

October 2003: Tom Sizemore is sentenced to six months in prison

After being found guilty of domestic violence, making criminal threats and harassing his ex-girlfriend Fleiss, Sizemore was sentenced to six months in prison. The sentence also required Sizemore to complete a residential drug rehab program, counseling for anger management and three years of probation.

"I have permitted my personal demons to take over my life," Sizemore wrote in a letter to the judge. "I do not want to make excuses but I am convinced that if I had not been under the influence of drugs, I would have controlled my behavior."

February 2005: A judge warns Tom Sizemore to "recover" or "die"

After multiple probation violations throughout 2004 — including failed drug tests — Sizemore received a stern warning from a California judge.

"There are two ways for you to go," Judge Antonio Barretto Jr. told Sizemore. "One is to recover. The other is to die."

The following month, he was sentenced to 17 months in jail and four months in rehab for his probation violations, according to Entertainment Weekly. Sizemore avoided jail for the time being, however, pending the appeal of his 2003 domestic violence conviction.

July 2005: Tom Sizemore welcomes twin sons with then-girlfriend Janelle McIntire

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In July 2005, Sizemore became a first-time father when his ex Janelle McIntire gave birth to twin sons, Jagger and Jayden Sizemore.

Sizemore's problems with the law and substance abuse prevented him from being involved in the twins' early life. "Fatherhood didn't change me in the beginning very much. I was ill," he said, referencing his drug addictions, in a 2012 interview with The Reel Breakdown. "And the boys were kept from me."

January 2007: Tom Sizemore's reality show Shooting Sizemore debuts

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Shooting Sizemore, a documentary reality series that aired on VH1, premiered in January 2007. The six episodes followed Sizemore as he attempted to get both his life and career back on track, while also working through his substance abuse problems.

May 2007: Tom Sizemore is arrested for violating his probation

Sizemore fell into trouble with the law again when he was arrested on May 8, 2007, outside of a Bakersfield, California hotel for allegedly being in possession of crystal methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest, Sizemore was already serving a three-year probation following his conviction for meth possession in October 2004.

The actor was charged with multiple drug-related felonies at the time of the May 2007 arrest. He pleaded not guilty and surrendered to an L.A. court the following month. Sizemore faced up to 16 months in state prison if found guilty of violating his probation.

June 2007: Tom Sizemore is sentenced to 16 months in prison

Despite asking a California judge to spare him prison time, Sizemore was sentenced to 16 months in prison for violating his probation.

"I think it's clear from his record that probation isn't the answer," Deputy District Attorney Sean Carney told PEOPLE. "He used a Whizzinator, he lied to the court, he has a history of domestic violence and of deceiving the court, and given somebody with that kind of problem, the court needs to send him to the kind of rehab he's not going to be able to walk away from: prison."

Sizemore served his sentence from August 2007 to January 2009.

January 2010: Tom Sizemore appears on season three of Celebrity Rehab

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At the convincing of musician and drug counselor Bob Forrest, Sizemore signed up to appear on season three of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. The actor's ex-girlfriend, Fleiss, also appeared on the same season.

Despite showing up late for filming due to legal troubles, Sizemore became sober on the show and appeared on its follow-up series, Sober House.

"I was vaguely aware of the fact that I was on TV but it didn't really hit me until Sober House," Sizemore later told The Daily Beast about the experience. "I was going through terrible withdrawal [on Celebrity Rehab] and really wasn't conscious of what was going on."

Sizemore continued, "When I watched my first couple privates with Drew, I thought, 'The guy sitting there looks like the saddest guy that ever lived.' I'm grateful I have that since addicts have the propensity to forget how bad it was and I can't because it's there on tape."

May 2011: Tom Sizemore is questioned in the disappearance of a female friend

Following the disappearance of 25-year-old actress Megan Wren, Sizemore was questioned by L.A. police. The woman, who hadn't been seen since March 31, 2011, was a friend of Sizemore's who lived on the same floor of his luxury high-rise apartment building.

Sizemore was cooperative in his interviews and was not considered a suspect in the missing person case, LAPD Det. Carmine Sasso told PEOPLE.

Wren was later found in May 2011 at a home near downtown L.A.

"I am relieved and happy Megan is safe and sound. It is unfortunate that she did not come forward immediately as this has caused me a lot of concern," Sizemore said at the time. "However, I am pleased no harm has come to Megan and I wish her and her family the best and I am putting this matter behind me."

July 19, 2016: Tom Sizemore is arrested for domestic violence

In July 2016, Sizemore was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence after an alleged altercation with his girlfriend in L.A., in which she claimed he struck her in the head and face.

Sizemore was later charged with three misdemeanors in connection with the arrest: intimate partner abuse, intimate partner battery and making terrorist threats, the L.A. Times reported. He faced up to three years in jail (one year for each count) if convicted on all charges.

February 7, 2017: Tom Sizemore pleads no contest to domestic violence charges

The actor avoided a 210-day prison sentence when he pleaded no contest to two domestic violence charges related to his July 2016 arrest, according to the L.A. Times.

Instead, the judge sentenced the actor to 36 months of probation and 30 days of community labor. The plea deal also required Sizemore to complete a yearlong domestic violence program, follow two protective orders, avoid using force or violence and pay various fines and fees.

May 2017: Tom Sizemore reveals he's been sober for 4 years

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In an interview with the Daily Mail, Sizemore revealed that he was nearly four years sober after a "long history with substance abuse."

"My life's gotten a lot better, it's been a real chronicle," he said in the interview. "I was in a really bad place."

Sizemore continued: "I'm coming up on four years sober, it was really difficult, the first two years were miserable. I thought I'd never smile again. But I am smiling again, you've got to stick around until you feel better."

November 13, 2017: A report reveals Tom Sizemore was sent home from a movie set in 2003 after an 11-year-old girl claimed he molested her

A report from The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Sizemore was sent home from the Utah set of the 2003 movie Born Killers after an 11-year-old actress claimed that he had inappropriately touched her genitals.

The incident reportedly happened while the young actress was sitting on Sizemore's lap for photos toward the end of production, according to the dozen cast and crew members who spoke to THR. Once news of the alleged molestation made its way to the film's producers, Michael Manshel and Gus Spoliansky, Sizemore was removed from the set. He was allowed to return for reshoots after the girl's parents declined to press charges.

When producers informed Sizemore of the allegations, Manshel claimed the actor said, "I've done a lot of awful things, and I'd never do anything with kids."

Sizemore declined to comment on the allegation to THR, according to his agent Stephen Rice. "Our position is 'no comment,' " Rice said.

May 7, 2018: Tom Sizemore is sued by the former actress who claimed he groped her when she was 11

In May 2018, the former actress who claimed Sizemore groped her on the set of Born Killers when she was just 11 years old sued the actor for $3 million. In the lawsuit, the Utah woman stated that the alleged incident — which occurred in 2003 and was first reported on in 2017 — had caused her permanent damage, including post-traumatic stress and addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Though reps for the actor did not return PEOPLE's request for comment at the time of the lawsuit, Sizemore had previously called the allegations against him "highly disturbing" and said he would never inappropriately touch a child.

January 5, 2019: Tom Sizemore is arrested for drug possession

Adding to his litany of various drug and domestic violence arrests, Sizemore was arrested for misdemeanor drug possession in Burbank, California, on Jan. 5, 2019, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The arrest came after Sizemore was pulled over for driving without a front license plate and with expired registration stickers. A search of his vehicle revealed "various illegal narcotics," THR reported. He was released after posting bail.

TMZ later reported that Sizemore struck a plea deal in the case, in which he had to complete a yearlong drug prevention program and remain drug-free for a year.

January 24, 2020: Tom Sizemore is arrested and booked for DUI and drug possession

Sizemore's problems with substance abuse continued in 2020 when he was arrested and booked for driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance, according to TMZ.

The actor was pulled over in Glendale, California, at 2:30 a.m. for a traffic violation. TMZ reported that he showed signs of being under the influence and was found with narcotics on him.

August 26, 2020: A Utah judge dismisses the civil suit against Tom Sizemore

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The 2018 lawsuit filed by the woman who claimed Sizemore molested her on a movie set when she was just 11 years old was dismissed by a Utah judge in August 2020, USA Today reported.

A lawyer for the woman told USA Today that the dismissal was due to Utah's statute of limitations for sex crimes.

"I hope this highly disturbing matter is finally over for all concerned," Sizemore said to USA Today in an emailed statement. "While I feel nothing but sympathy for my accuser ... I remain dismayed by her allegations. I not only never inappropriately touched her, but I would never inappropriately touch any child."

February 18, 2023: Tom Sizemore suffers a brain aneurysm

On Feb. 18, 2023, Sizemore was hospitalized and in critical condition after suffering a brain aneurysm. His manager Charles Lago confirmed his condition to PEOPLE, revealing the actor was in intensive care and that his prognosis was "a wait-and-see situation."

"His family is aware and waiting for updates," Lago said. "There are no future updates at this time."

According to TMZ, Sizemore collapsed around 2 a.m. on Feb. 18 in his L.A. home. He was still active on his social media up until the day before his hospitalization, posting on his Instagram on Friday, Feb. 17. He was also scheduled to teach a weekly acting class at Harvelle's Nightclub in L.A. the same day he suffered from the brain aneurysm.

February 27, 2023: Tom Sizemore's family is "deciding end-of-life matters" after aneurysm

After Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm earlier in the month, his manager Lago provided an update on the actor's condition. According to a statement shared with PEOPLE, "doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end of life decision."

"The family is now deciding end-of-life matters and a further statement will be issued on Wednesday," Lago added.

The 61-year-old actor had remained in a coma in intensive care since Feb. 18.

"We are asking for privacy for his family during this difficult time and they wish to thank everyone for the hundreds of messages of support, and prayers that have been received. This has been a difficult time for them," Lago concluded.

March 3, 2023: Tom Sizemore dies after suffering a brain aneurysm

Sizemore died with his brother, Paul, and twin sons at his side. His death occurred two weeks after having a stroke, which lead to a brain aneurysm.

"It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore ("Tom Sizemore") aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph's Hospital Burbank," Sizemore's rep said in a statement.

His brother Paul honored his memory, sharing, "He was larger than life. He has influenced my life more than anyone I know. He was talented, loving, giving and could keep you entertained endlessly with his wit and storytelling ability. I am devasted he is gone and will miss him always."