Yaphet Kotto Dead: ‘Alien’ and ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ Star Was 81

Yaphet Kotto, the actor best known for his roles in Homicide: Life on the Street, Alien, and the James Bond film Live and Let Die, has died. Kotto’s wife, Tessie Sinahon, announced his death on Facebook Monday night, revealing that her husband passed away earlier that day. At this time, his cause of death is unknown. Kotto’s agent, Ryan Goldhar, also confirmed his passing to Variety. He was 81.

In the post announcing his passing, which was also shared on Kotto’s official Facebook page, Sinahon said she was “saddened and still in shock” following her husband’s death, who she said, “passed away last night around 10:30pm Philippine time.” She went on to say it was a “very painful moment” for her to have to share news of Kotto’s death with his “fans, friends and family.” She highlighted his illustrious career, which included several high-profile roles, as well as the projects Kotto had in the works at the time of his death.

“We still have a lot of plans honey that we discussed you have a lot of interviews waiting and you have movie offers like G.I. Joe and the movie of Tom Cruise and others. You still have a plan to release your book and build a religious organization based on Yogananda’s Teachings,” Sinahon wrote. “You played a villain in some of your movies, but for me, you’re a real hero and to a lot of people also. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find.”

Sinahon ended her post by recognizing her husband as “one of the best actors in Hollywood” and called him “a Legend.” She added, “Rest in Peace Honey, I’m gonna miss you every day, my best friend,my rock.I love you and you will always be in my heart.Till we meet again!”

Born in New York City in 1939, Kotto got his start in acting at the age of 16 when he began studying the art at the Actors Mobile Theater Studio. Three years later, he made his professional theater debut in Othello and starved in numerous other Broadway productions before transitioning into film, landing roles Nothing But a Man in 1964 and The Thomas Crown Affair in 1968. He soon made his way to the small screen, too, appearing in a guest-starring role s Marine Lance Corporal on Hawaii Five-O.

Kotto’s career was quick to take off, and by 1973, he landed the role of the corrupt Caribbean dictator Dr. Kananga as well as his drug-pushing alter ego Mr. Big in Live and Let Die, starring Roger Moore as James Bond. Kotto also famously played Dennis Parker in 1979’s Alien as well as police lieutenant Al Giardello on Homicide: Life on the Street. His other roles include Richard “Dickie” Coombes in Brubaker, The A-Team, For Love and Honor, Murder She Wrote, Law & Order, and Homicide: The Movie, among many others. His wife and six children survive Kotto.