Oscar-winning actor Alan Arkin dies at 89

Alan Arkin
(Image credit: Getty)

Oscar-winning actor Alan Arkin has died at the age of 89. The acclaimed actor had a career spanning several decades, including roles in Little Miss Sunshine, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, and The Kominsky Method.

His sons Adam, Matthew, and Anthony confirmed he died on June 29 at his home in California in a joint statement. "Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man," they shared. "A loving husband, father, grand, and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed."

Arkin began his career on the stage, appearing in plays like Enter Laughing, for which he won a Tony Award. His screen roles started in the mid-1960s thanks to films like The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, Wait Until Dark, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Popi, and Catch-22.

Other beloved movies Arkin appeared in over his lengthy tenure on screen include classics like Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Grosse Point Blank, Get Smart, and Argo. In particular, many will remember him as the foul-mouthed granddad Edwin Hoover in 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine, for which he won an Academy Award.

Arkin was no stranger to the small screen either, having starred in shows like The Pentagon Papers, BoJack Horseman, and The Kominsky Method. The latter Netflix series saw him appear as co-lead Norman Newlander opposite Michael Douglas’s Sandy Kominsky. 

The actor's huge range was often hailed thanks to his ability to lose himself in any role, be it serious, comic, or sinister. A true loss for cinema, our thoughts are with his friends and family.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.