Sean Connery Dead: ‘Hunt for Red October’ Co-Star Sam Neill Reacts to His Passing

In light of Sean Connery‘s death, many celebrities have taken to social media to pay tribute to the legendary actor. Sam Neill, who co-starred alongside Connery in The Hunt for Red October, issued a statement on the actor’s passing on Twitter. Neill noted that every day that he was able to work alongside Connery was a master class in learning how to act on the big screen.

Neill began his statement by writing that while he was on set “with Sean Connery was an object lesson in how to act on screen.” He went on to note that the Dr. No actor’s “charisma and power” were traits that were unique to Connery. Neill ended his message, which came alongside a link to the news of the star’s death, by writing that Connery was a fantastic actor. He added, “RIP that great man.”

On Saturday, numerous sources reported that Connery died at the age of 90. Connery’s son, Jason Connery, said that his father died overnight in the Bahamas, surrounded by many of his family members, per the BBC. Jason also shared that his father had been unwell for some time. “We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time,” Jason’s statement read. “A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

While Connery starred in numerous films throughout his career, such as The Hunt for Red October, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and The Untouchables, the latter of which earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, he is best known to audiences as Agent 007 a.k.a. James Bond. He starred in many Bond films throughout his career, including Dr. No, Goldfinger, and 1983’s Never Say Never Again, the last time he portrayed the famous character. Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, Bond producers, released a statement on Connery’s passing in which they said that the actor “was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words, ‘The name’s Bond… James Bond.’” They added, “He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”