Leon Vitali, an actor and film professional who was a close confidant of iconic director Stanley Kubrick, has died aged 74.
The English actor died in The Angels surrounded by relatives on Friday, including his three children, Masha, Max and Vera, his family told the AP.
“Leon was a special and sweet man, driven by his curiosity, who spread love and warmth wherever he went,” his family said in a statement. “He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by the many people he touched.”
The latest: Leon Vitali, an actor and film professional who was a close confidant of iconic director Stanley Kubrick, has died aged 74. He was caught at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival in France
Vitali’s creative contributions were showcased in Filmworker, a 2017 documentary that chronicled his work as a casting director and acting coach and other regular jobs working alongside the famed filmmaker for decades.
Vitali had worked with Kubrick (who died in 1999 at age 70) on films including 1975’s Barry Lyndon, 1980’s The Shining, 1987’s Full Metal Jacket, and 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut.
Full Metal Jacket actor Matthew Modine took to Twitter on Sunday to pay tribute to Vitali. He wrote: “There are people we meet who have a profound impact on our lives. Leon Vitali was one such person in mine.
‘An artist in every aspect of his life. A loving father and friend to many. A kind, generous and forgiving nature. He was an example and personified grace.’
Vitali’s creative contributions were showcased in Filmworker, a 2017 document detailing his decades-long work as a casting director and acting coach alongside Kubrick (R).
Vitali had worked with Kubrick on films including 1975’s Barry Lyndon, 1980’s The Shining, 1987’s Full Metal Jacket, and 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut.
Vitali died Friday in Los Angeles, surrounded by relatives, including his three children, Masha, Max and Vera, his family said.
Director Lee Unkrich tweeted that he was “absolutely heartbroken to hear about Leon Vitali’s passing,” adding: “He’s helped me *greatly* with my Shining book and I’m gutted he won’t see it. He was a sweet, kind, humble, generous man and an essential part of Stanley Kubrick’s team. RIP, dear Leon.’
A series of messages from Kubrick’s Twitter account were posted following Vitali’s death.
“It is with the greatest sadness that we must inform you that the mainstay of many of Kubrick’s films, Leon Vitali, passed away peacefully last night,” the account tweeted. “Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who knew and loved him. July 26, 1948 – August 20, 2022.”
Another read: ‘Whether giving the performance of his life as Lord Bullingdon, portraying the ominous Red Cloak, providing BTS tech support on FMJ and attending the 4K release of The Shining at the Cannes Film Festival, Leon Vitali was the heartbeat of Kubrick’s films after the master himself.’
Before crossing paths with Kubrick, Vitali was a student at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and then worked as an actor in his native England on numerous TV shows, including Softly Softly: Task Force, Follyfoot, Z Cars and Notorious woman .
Vitali was captured at a 2018 film premiere in LA
Contributors, including Matthew Modine and Lee Unkrich, paid tribute to the late artist
He worked under Kubrick in the 1975 war drama Barry Lyndon and played the role of Lord Bullingdon, the son-in-law of Ryan O’Neal’s titular character.
After working with the director, he decided to make a career switch from acting to Kubrick’s personal assistant.
“I made a really radical change in my life and then I said, ‘I’m more interested in that’ than acting,” Vitali told the AP in 2017. ‘That’s the biggest conscious decision I’ve ever made. There were some sacrifices, but there was also gain.’
Vitali chaired the restoration of several of Kubrick’s films after the filmmaker’s death in 1999, and received an award from the Cinema Audio Society for his efforts.
Vitali had also worked with director Todd Field on films, including 2001’s In the Bedroom and 2006’s Little Children.