Bill Paxton has starred in "Aliens", "Titanic" and "Apollo 13", he made his directorial debut in 2001 with "Demonisch" (Frailty), now the American actor has died at the age of 61 after heart surgery.
Paxton has starred in a thousand classics and specialized in badasses and lunatics, his most famous genre performances being Private Hudson in Aliens and the blue-haired punk in The Terminator. No wonder, since he was one of director James Cameron's favorite actors, who repeatedly hired him for his major projects. The Texan native was nominated for a total of three Golden Globes, including for his performance in the series "Big Love". In 2001 he made his directorial debut with the dark film "Frailty", in which he and Matthew McConaughey played the leading roles.
Paxton was born in Fort Worth, Texas to Mary Lou and John Lane Paxton. At the age of 18 he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a decorator and set assistant. Two years later he was in front of the camera for the first time in 1975 in the film "Crazy Mama". A little later he moved to New York, where he studied acting with Stella Adler (Studio Of Acting in NYC). During his studies, he found numerous smaller engagements in television productions, and he also wrote and produced short films. His real breakthrough came in 1992 with the film One False Move. In 1994, Paxton starred as a windy car salesman in "True Lies" and in 1995 as an astronaut in "Apollo 13" alongside Tom Hanks and Kevin Bacon. In 1996 followed the disaster film "Twister" directed by Jan de Bont alongside Helen Hunt. In 1997 he portrayed the role of Brock Lovett in James Cameron's Oscar-winning hit film Titanic. I particularly liked him in films like "Cursed be what makes you strong", "Phantom Commando", "Near Dark - The Night Has Its Price", "Trespass" and "The Colony - Hell Freezes Over" and also in he was seen in the "Tales from the Crypt".
Bill Paxton has also been producing films since 1997, making his debut as a producer with “Traveller – Die Highway-Zocker” with Mark Wahlberg and Julianna Margulies. In 2001 he made his directorial debut with "Demonisch", followed in 2005 by his second film "The Greatest Game of His Life". Bill Paxton lived in Ojai, California with his wife and two children until his death. "His passion for the arts was felt by everyone who met him and everyone recognized his warm and enduring energy." The family of the US actor and filmmaker confirmed the death of the 61-year-old in a letter. Paxton died from complications following surgery, it said. "I've had a career that kind of went under the radar, although that varied. I was so blessed that I was paid to do what I love," Paxton is reported to have said. He'll be back in cinemas soon in the surveillance sci-fi literature adaptation of Dave Egger's The Circle, starring Emma Watson. Thanks for all the badasses, RIP Bill...