‘X-Men’ and ‘The Aviator’ Actor Dead at 66: RIP to Harry Standjofski

Canadian actor, director, and playwright Harry Standjofski has died. He was 66.

The actor got his start in the 1987 film Wild Thing from Max Reid and John Sayles, but is best known for his appearances in the Martin Scorsese-directed Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator and the Marvel superhero film X-Men: Days of Future Past.

He was also a prolific theatre actor, director and playwright. He taught theatre at his Montreal alma mater Concordia University from 1986 until his death, and was known for skillfully being able to act or direct in both English and French.

“A great man of the theater, as exceptional in Molière’s language as in Shakespeare’s … He was also a formidable guitarist,” wrote Montreal’s Théâtre Duceppe in a Facebook post. “A great artist who leaves us much too soon at just 66 years of age. Our most sincere condolences to his loved ones.”

He was also well-known for his voice acting roles, especially in video games. Standjofski has played voice roles of historical figures in most of the Assassin’s Creed games, including William V in the first game and Juan Borgia in the rest of the series. He also appeared in the Deus Ex series as Lazarus, and had minor roles in the Jagged Alliance, Rainbow Six, and Prince of Persia franchises.

Standjofski’s last major on-screen role was in Ari Aster’s 2023 comedy-drama Beau is Afraid starring Joaquin Phoenix.