Sean Connery dies at 90: Hollywood mourns the ‘James Bond’ icon

Sean Connery has passed away at the age of 90, according to Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The Scottish actor was the first person to portray James Bond on screen. His unforgettable performances in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, have carved out a most beloved spot in the James Bond franchise.

Scroll to read all the most touching tributes.

“We are devastated by the news of the passing of Sir Sean Connery,” Bond Producers Michael and Barbara wrote in a statement. “He 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.”

“He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent,” they continued. “He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him.”

Some highlights of his colorful career include: winning the “Best Supporting Actor 1988” Oscar for his turn in The Untouchables and being knighted by  Queen Elizabeth II  in 2000, making Sir Sean Connery. His final film role was in Stephen Norrington’s The League of Extraordinary Gentleman (2003). Sean had just turned 90 in August.

The star’s death was confirmed by his family via BBC, noting that the actor died in his sleep in the Bahamas. He was reportedly sick for some time. We send our thoughts to his loved ones.

 Read some of the celebrity tributes:

Stephen King:

Elizabeth Hurley:

Salma Hayek (via Instagram)

“It saddens me that today the legendary Sean Connery passed away. At least he lived to be 90. My heart goes out to his close ones. May he rest in peace.”

 Paul Feig