Artwork Evans, the prolific actor greatest recognized for his function as Leslie Barnes in Die Laborious 2, has died. He was 82.

Evans' passing on account of issues from diabetes on December 21 was confirmed by his spouse Babe Evans. "Artwork was not solely an unimaginable actor however a faithful husband, buddy, and supply of sunshine to everybody who knew him," she mentioned in an announcement shared with Leisure Weekly. "His laughter, ardour, and love of life might be deeply missed. Whereas our hearts are heavy, we have a good time the legacy of pleasure and inspiration he leaves behind."

"Artwork was a outstanding expertise who touched many lives along with his work," Evans' representatives, LyNea Bell and Charleen McGuire, mentioned in one other assertion. "He might be deeply missed by all who knew him. Our condolences exit to his spouse, Babe, and their household throughout this troublesome time. Artwork's legacy won’t ever be forgotten."

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Born Arthur James Evans in Berkeley, Calf., in 1942, Artwork had a wealthy and assorted life earlier than touchdown in Hollywood. He was a junior Olympian in championship diving, an completed musician of a number of devices, and a veteran of the Vietnam Battle.

His appearing profession started within the early Nineteen Seventies with a number of uncredited roles in highly-regarded movies that may show to be extensively influential. He performed a waiter in Brian De Palma's 1972 Sisters; adopted "Younger Brother" within the acclaimed Claudine, starring Diahann Caroll and James Earl Jones; and at last a police officer half within the Charles Bronson actioner Demise Want.

Evans rapidly began touchdown identify roles, and by the top of the last decade made a memorable splash taking part in A.D. King, brother to Martin Luther King Jr., within the 1978 miniseries King, costarring Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, and Tony Bennett.

The actor entered his stride within the mid-Nineteen Eighties with sizable roles in movies like Fright Night time, Ruthless Individuals, and A Soldier's Story, an Academy Award-nominated have a look at segregation within the U.S. Military. The function for which he’s most remembered got here in 1990. Evans was forged as Leslie Barnes, an air visitors controller who involves the help of John McClane (Bruce Willis) at a vital juncture in Die Laborious 2.

Evans labored steadily within the years since, showing in movies like Tales From the Hood, Bitter Harvest, and the Rob Reiner romcom The Story of Us, in addition to episodes of sequence like Monk, The X-Recordsdata, and most lately The Proud Household: Louder and Prouder.

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The official assertion concerning Evans' passing moreover notes, "An extended-practicing Buddhist with SGI-USA, Artwork believed within the perspective that life and loss of life are the 2 alternating phases of life, and collectively, they make up the bigger common rhythm. His religious beliefs had been an integral a part of who he was, providing him peace and perception all through his life."

Evans is survived by his spouse, Babe, and their son Ogadae and his household. Evans and his spouse had been additionally mother and father to their late son, Sage.

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