James Bond star Michael Lonsdale dies aged 89

Actor Michael Lonsdale has passed away at the age of 89.

News of Lonsdale's passing was confirmed by AFP, via his agent, on Monday, BBC News reports.

The iconic actor was perhaps best known for his role as villain Hugo Drax in the 1979 James Bond movie Moonraker, and for starring as the detective Claude Lebel in the 1971 film The Day of the Jackal.

Lonsdale's career spanned an impressive six decades, during which, he starred in over 200 English and French roles.

[[imagecaption|| Michael Lonsdale during the 36th Cesar Film Awards ceremony in 2011. Credit: PA Images]]

In a 2012 interview with Mi6 HQ, the esteemed actor was asked whether he ever had any concerns that portraying a Bond villain would impact negatively upon his career.

"On the contrary!" he said. "Because, I made so many films that were not really very popular or didn't make much money, and I only made poor films, so I thought I might like to be in a rich film."

Later on in the interview, he revealed:

"My teacher, when I was at school for the theatre, told me that 'One day you will have to play someone very nasty.' "But really, he is such a terrible character, a sort of Nazi. I mean, Drax is like Hitler. He wanted to destroy everybody and rain down a new order of very athletic, young people... He was mad completely."

[[imagecaption|| Best film Xavier Beauvois and Michael Lonsdale during the 36th Cesar Film Awards ceremony held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France on February 25, 2011.]]

Fans and associates have been tweeting to pay their respects to the Anglo-French actor.

Indeed, the official Twitter page for the late Sir Roger Moore wrote of Lonsdale's passing: "Terribly saddened to learn Michael Lonsdale has also passed away today. As Hugo Drax he was a smooth-tongued and cultured adversary to 007 in Moonraker."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/sirrogermoore/status/1308057358749270019]]

Film critic for The New Yorker, Richard Brody, wrote: "In memory of Michael Lonsdale, the secret agent of cinematic modernity, whose intense artistic curiosity led him wherever it was happening and whose exacting artistry made it happen wherever he was."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/tnyfrontrow/status/1308050845364355072]]

Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and fans at this time.

This is a breaking story, more to follow...