Sean Connery, the Scottish actor who was the first to play British secret agent James Bond on the big screen, has reportedly died at 90.
Connery died overnight in his sleep while in the Bahamas, according to a BBC report on Saturday. He had been “unwell for some time,” his son told the outlet.
The actor was the first to take on the role of James Bond, beginning in 1962 with Dr. No. He was also featured in six other Bond movies: From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds are Forever, and Never Say Never Again.
Other films for which Connery is known include The Untouchables (for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), The Rock, Murder on the Orient Express, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and The Hunt for Red October.
He was the recipient of international acclaim, having received several Golden Globes and two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) in addition to his Oscar.
In 2000, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Holyrood Palace.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was “heartbroken” to learn of Connery’s death.
“Our nation today mourns one of her best loved sons,” Sturgeon said. “Sean was born into a working class Edinburgh family and through talent and sheer hard work, became an international film icon and one of the world’s most accomplished actors. Sean will be remembered best as James Bond — the classic 007 — but his roles were many and varied.”
She continued: “He was a global legend but, first and foremost, a patriotic and proud Scot – his towering presence at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 showed his love for the country of his birth. Sean was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude.”
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