‘Game of Thrones’ Actor Dead at 74 Following Cancer Battle
British actor Ian Gelder, best known for his portrayal of Kevan Lannister on Game of Thrones, died this week on May 6 following an aggressive battle with bile duct cancer. He was 74.
Gelder played the character of Kevan Lannister on the first six seasons on the hit HBO series. The brother of Lord of Casterly Rock Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) and uncle to Cersei Lanniser (Lena Headey), Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage); Kevan clashed with Cersei over her grab for power after Tywin’s death. He was killed off in the sixth season finale when Cersei had the Great Sept of Baelor destroyed by wildfire, killing everyone inside.
Gelder’s longtime partner Ben Daniels shared the sad news of his husband’s passing in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Daniels, 59, explained that Gelder had only been diagnosed with cancer back in December, and that he had taken time away from work to care for him, but neither knew that he would be gone so fast.
“He was my absolute rock and we’d been partners for more than 30 years. If we weren’t together we spoke to each other everyday,” Daniels wrote. “He was the kindest, most generous spirited and loving human being. He was a wonderful wonderful actor and everyone who worked with him was touched by his heart and light. I honestly don’t know what I’ll do without him by my side.”
“He coped with his dreadful illness with such bravery, with no self pity. Ever,” he continued. “He was remarkable and will be so missed.”
In addition to Game of Thrones, Gelder had appeared in dozens of film and television roles since the ’70s, including small roles in Doctor Who, His Dark Materials, and EastEnders.
