Yaphet Kotto, the actor known for his role in “Alien” and as James Bond villain Mr. Big in “Live and Let Die” has died at the age of 81, his wife announced on Facebook. “He died at around 10:30 pm Philippine time last night. This is a very painful moment for me to inform you all of my husband’s fans, friends and family,” wrote Tessie Sinahon.
It is unclear what caused Kotto’s death.
Born in New York City in 1939, he attended Actors Mobile Theater Studio at the age of 16. He made his stage debut at the age of 19 in “Othello.”
Kotto’s first major film role came in 1972 as Lieutenant Pope on “Across 110th Street”. A year later, Kotto became the first Black Bond villain.
“You played a bad guy in some of your movies, but to me you are a real hero and to a lot of people too. A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent person, very rare to find,” Sinahon said .
Kotto’s work as Smokey James in 1978’s ‘Blue Collar’ and technician Dennis Parker in 1979’s ‘Alien’ earned him high praise, as did his long career as Lieutenant Al Giardello on the TV series ‘Homicide: Life on the Street’ from 1993 to 2000. He was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 1996 and every year thereafter until 1999.
Kotto made his last film appearance in 2008 as Ricardo Bodi in “Witless Protection”. He leaves Sinahon and six children behind.