Actor Yaphet Kotto, who is best known for his role as Dr. Kananga / Mr. Big, in the classic Bond movie Live and Let Die alongside Roger Moore as James Bond, has sadly passed away aged 81.
He also starred in the 1979 classic, Alien too as well as Homicide: Life on the Street, Midnight Run and The Running Man to name a few.
He died on Monday in the Philippines. His wife Sinahon Thessa, shared the sad news on Facebook saying: "You played a villain on some of your movies but for me you're a real hero and to a lot of people also," she wrote.
"A good man, a good father, a good husband and a decent human being, very rare to find. One of the best actors in Hollywood, a Legend. Rest in Peace Honey, I'm gonna miss you everyday, my best friend, my rock."
Following the announcement of his death, stars and other famous names from the entertainment industry have paid tribute on social media.
He was born in New York in 1939 and began studying acting from the age of 16. At the young age of 19, he made his theatre debut in William Shakespeare's Othello, and later performed on Broadway in The Great White Hope.
He went on to appear in a number of films before appearing in Live and Let Die and Alien which led onto Kotto being offered a number of offers including a part in Star Wars, which he went on to turn down.
In an interview, he said "I was afraid that if I did another space film after having done Alien, then I'd be typed"
"Once you get one of those big blockbuster hits, you better have some other big blockbuster hits to go with it too and be Harrison Ford, because if you don't… you place yourself right out of the business."
His other famous film appearances include Bill Cosby's Man and Boy (1971), Across 110th Street (1972), Report to the Commissioner (1975), The Star Chamber (1983), Warning Sign (1985), Eye of the Tiger (1986) and Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991).
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