RIP Bud Cort

 

Bud Cort, ‘Harold and Maude’ Star, Dies at 77

Variety

By Pat Saperstein

February 11, 2026

 

Bud Cort, who personified the role of Harold in the 1971 Hal Ashby classic “Harold and Maude,” died Wednesday in Connecticut after a long illness. He was 77.

His longtime friend Dorian Hannaway reported his death.

Cort also starred in Robert Altman’s “Brewster McCloud” and had roles in numerous other films and TV shows.

In “Harold and Maude,” which became a beloved and enduring cult classic despite a rocky start at the box office, Cort played a 20-year-old man obsessed by thoughts of suicide whose life changes when he meets Maude, a 79-year-old Holocaust survivor played by Ruth Gordon.

Born Walter Edward Cox in Rye, N.Y., he changed his name to avoid confusion with character actor Wally Cox. He went to school in New Rochelle, N.Y. and enjoyed going to Broadway shows.

Cort moved to Los Angeles to work in film and was cast by Altman in a small part in “MASH.” Altman then selected his to star in the quirky “Brewster McCloud” about a young man who yearns to fly, with Sally Kellerman as a guardian angel.

“I was only fourteen when I met Bud at the backstage door at my sister’s play,” Roslyn Kind recalled in a statement. “He was majoring in art at the time in high school. We became close friends who shared our interest in entertainment. When I got married, Bud and our songwriter friend, Bruce Roberts, wrote a special song that was performed at the ceremony. His unique spirit will always be with me.”

“We were in the line for lunch when I spotted him,” she later recalled. “Although I didn’t know who he was, I said ‘Oh, boy. We’re going to be best friends.’”

His chemistry with Gordon while auditioning for the part of Harold convinced Ashby and writer Colin Higgins to cast him in “Harold and Maude,” which has endured as a repertory screening favorite for more than 50 years. He was nominated for a BAFTA award as most promising newcomer and for a Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy.

“A young man obsessed with death falls in love with an old woman obsessed with life. She dies and teaches the kid how to live,” Cameron Crowe described it for AFI in 2011. “And it’s done with music [by Cat Stevens] that scratches at your soul. . . . that movie holds up — to this minute.”

His other roles included films “She Dances Alone,” “Electric Dreams” and “The Life Aquatic,” as well as “Heat,” “Dogma,” “Coyote Ugly” and “Pollock.”

He also voiced the character Toyman in “Superman: The Animated Series,” “Static Shock” and “Justic League Unlimited.” He co-wrote, starred in and directed the 1991 film “Ted and Venus.”

In 1979, Cort narrowly survived a devastating car accident, which necessitated numerous surgeries and affected his career.

He is survived by his brother Joseph Cox and his sister-in-law Vickie and their daughters, Meave, Brytnn, and Jesse of Rye, N.Y.; his sister Kerry Cox of Larchmont, N.Y.; his sister and brother-in-law, Tracy Cox Berkman and Edward Berkman, and their sons, Daniel and Peter. He is also survived by his sister, Shelly Cox Dufour and brother-in-law Robert Dufour, and nieces Madeline and Lucie.

A memorial will be held at a future date in Los Angeles.

CORT, Bud (Walter Edward Cox)

Born: 3/29/1948, Rye, New York, U.S.A.

Died: 2/11/2026, Connecticut, U.S.A.

 

Bud Cort’s westerns – actor:

The Travelling Executioner – 1970 (Jimmy)

South of Heaven, West of Hell – 2000 (Agent Otts)

RIP James Van Der Beek

 

‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek Dead at 48 After Cancer Battle

The actor also starred in Kesha's 2011 music video for "Blow."

Billboard

By Anna Chan

2/11/2026

 

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement, posted to Instgram, read. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

The actor revealed in an exclusive interview with People in November 2024, that he had stage 3 colorectal cancer; he was 46 at the time. Van Der Beek told the magazine that his family had no history of cancer, and that he was careful to take good care of his health. “I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles,” he told People. “But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time.”

He said that he first noticed changes with his bowel movements in 2023, but assumed it was diet related, but decided to be safe and get a colonoscopy. That’s when he learned he had colorectal cancer. Despite the diagnosis, Van Der Beek said he was “cautiously optimistic at the time,” telling People, “I have a lot to live for.”

Throughout his treatment, the actor shared his story, repeating in interviews that he hoped his tale would encourage others to talk to their doctors and get tested.

In addition to Dawson’s Creek, the actor also starred in films such as Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, and also had memorable guest roles on shows including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, One Tree Hill and Ugly Betty.

Van Der Beek also had a memorable starring role in Kesha’s 2011 video for “Blow.” In the visual, the actor and musician eye each other across a dance floor, then bust out laser guns and start shooting (taking out a few unicorns in the process), before Kesha reigns victorious.

James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their kids Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwen and Jeremiah.

VAN DER BEEK, James (James David Van Der Beek Jr.)

Born: 3/8/1977, Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S.A.

Died: 2/11/2026, Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

 

James Van Der Beek’s westerns – actor:

Texas Rangers – 2001 (Lincoln Rogers Dunnison)

Walker (TV) – 2024 (new neighbor)

RIP Christa Lang

 

Christa Lang, Actress, Producer and Widow of Samuel Fuller, Dies at 82

She appeared in French New Wave movies for Roger Vadim, Claude Chabrol and Jean-Luc Godard before marrying the iconic American filmmaker in 1967.

The Hollywood Reporter

By Mike Barnes

February 3, 2026

 

Christa Lang, the German-born actress and producer who appeared in French New Wave features and served as a muse to her husband of three decades, the daring American filmmaker Samuel Fuller, has died. She was 82.

Lang died Friday at her home in Los Angeles after what was described as a brief period of declining health, her daughter, Samantha Fuller, announced.

Lang had moved to Paris and become friends with writers, actors and filmmakers including Roger Vadim, Claude Chabrol, Agnès Varda and Jean-Luc Godard while appearing in Vadim’s Circle of Love (1964), Chabrol’s Code Name: Tiger (1964) and Godard’s Alphaville (1965), starring Anna Karina.

Also in Paris at the time was Fuller, who had acted in Godard’s Pierrot le Fou (1965), a precursor to he and Lang having their first date the following year in Montmartre.

After Fuller returned to the U.S., he paid for Lang’s first-class, one-way ticket to the States, and they married in 1967, when she worked opposite Elvis Presley, her teenage idol, in an uncredited role in Charro!

For Fuller, she went on to portray a rebellious German countess in the World War II epic The Big Red One (1980) and a nurse in White Dog (1980), and she was his partner in the production company Chrisam Films.

Christa Langewiesche was born in December 1943 in Winterberg, Germany and raised in postwar Essen, where she had her first poem published in a local newspaper when she was 15.

At 17, she moved to France and worked as an au pair for the Toulouse-Lautrec family, then began modeling and saving money for acting classes. (In Paris, she sat as an art model for renowned sculptor Paul Belmondo, father of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo.)

Lang acted in stage productions including La Jalousie by Sacha Guitry, then earned her first onscreen role in L’Assasin connait la musique (1963), written and directed by Pierre Chenal.

After appearing in Chabrol’s The Champagne Murders (1967) and getting married, she joined Fuller in developing projects while pursuing her academic ambitions. She enrolled in a French Literature program at UCLA and graduated with a master’s degree a few years later.

In 1972, Lang showed up in Peter Bogdanovich’s What’s Up Doc? — she and Fuller would become great friends with the director and his then-wife, Polly Platt — and played a witty con artist on an episode of the German crime series Tatort that was written and directed by her husband.

Lang gave birth to her daughter in 1975, and nine months later they appeared as mother and child alongside Anthony Hopkins in the 1976 NBC telefilm The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case.

In 1981, the family moved to Paris to pursue European film offers for Fuller to write and direct, and they would remain there until 1995. Before returning to the U.S., however, she and Fuller traveled to Brazil to meet with Karaja Indians in the Amazon jungle for the 1994 Mika Kaurismäki-directed documentary Tigrero.

After Fuller’s death in October 1997 at age 85, Lang set out to have his autobiography, A Third Face, edited and published, and it hit bookstores in 2002. She also produced a 2013 documentary about him, A Fuller Life, that was directed by their daughter.

Her last onscreen appearance was filmed last year for an upcoming documentary about Fuller’s final feature, Street of No Return (1989).

Survivors also include her granddaughter, Samira.

LANG, Christa (Christa Langewiesche)

Born: 12/23/1943, Winterberg, Gau Westphalia-South, Germany

Died: 1/30/2026, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

 

Christa Lang’s western – actress:

Charro! – 1969 (Christa)

RIP Gerardo Taracena

 

Gerardo Taracena, ‘Apocalypto’ actor and renowned Mexican performer, dies at 55

The Economic Times

By Maitreyee Thakkar

February 1, 2026

 

Gerardo Taracena, a celebrated Mexican actor and dancer known for Apocalypto and other projects, died on 31 January 2026 at the age of 55. The fact was confirmed by the Asociación Nacional de Actores (ANDA) in an official statement expressing deep sorrow over his passing. It has not elaborated on medical details or circumstances.

Born on 27 March 1970 in Mexico City, Gerardo Taracena developed an early passion for the performing arts, studying Dramatic Arts at the Centro Universitario de Teatro of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). He began his artistic journey in theatre and dance, performing in numerous productions that showcased his expressive range and physicality.

Taracena’s talent quickly found expression beyond the stage, and by the late 1990s and early 2000s he was appearing in notable film and television roles. While his early work included a variety of national productions, he soon became known to international audiences as well.

Breakthrough in Hollywood

One of Taracena’s most internationally celebrated roles came in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto (2006), where he portrayed Middle Eye, a fierce and memorable warrior in the epic historical drama. The film brought him global recognition and remains one of his most iconic screen performances.

In addition to Apocalypto, his Hollywood credits included roles in acclaimed films such as Man on Fire (2004) and The Mexican (2001), broadening his reach with North American audiences.

Success in Mexican cinema

Taracena’s filmography was vast and diverse, including a mix of dramatic and comedic work in Mexican cinema. He appeared in popular films such as El violín (The Violin), El Chamán in El Señor de los Cielos, Batman in La Reina del Sur, showcasing his range from intense character roles to lighter, heartfelt performances.

In the era of streaming, Taracena became widely recognized for his role in the hit Netflix series Narcos: México, where he portrayed Pablo Acosta Villarreal, a historical figure linked to the rise of modern drug trafficking along the US-Mexico border.

Beyond Narcos: México, he also appeared in other acclaimed television series, contributing to the growing international visibility of Mexican actors in global content platforms.

Taracena’s career spanned more than three decades and included over 30 theatre productions, numerous films and prominent television roles. He was widely respected not only for his screen presence but also for his commitment to the craft, blending physical performance, emotional depth and cultural authenticity.

Following news of his passing, ANDA publicly shared its condolences:

“La Asociación Nacional de Actores lamenta profundamente la partida de nuestro compañero Gerardo Taracena. Nos unimos a la pena que embarga a sus familiares, amigos y a la comunidad artística. QEPD.”

 

Colleagues, directors and fans have taken to social media to celebrate Taracena’s contributions and memories of his performances, particularly highlighting the strength and nuance he brought to every role.

 

As of the latest reports, the official cause of Gerardo Taracena’s death has not been disclosed by authorities or his family.

 

TARACENA, Gerardo

Born: 3/27/1970, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 1/31/2026, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

 

Gerardo Taracena’s westerns – actor:

Private Pérez – 2011 (Carmelo Benavides)

Texas Rising – 2015 (Manuel Flores)

RIP Fernando Esteso

 

Comedian Fernando Esteso dies at the age of 80

The actor had been admitted a couple of days ago to the La Fe University Hospital in Valencia

el Periodico

By Jaime Roch and Voro Contreras

February 1, 2026

 

The actor and comedian Fernando Esteso died this Sunday in Valencia at the age of 80. As Levante-EMV has been able to confirm, Esteso was admitted to the La Fe University Hospital. Esteso already had respiratory problems five years ago and was already hospitalized in the same center then. The actor was admitted a couple of days ago for one due to respiratory failure.

Sources close to the actor acknowledge that he was very delicate after having received treatment for an illness. In fact, during the last Christmas holidays she missed several commitments with her friends because she did not feel well. One of the appointments he could not attend, for example, was Christmas Day. Every year he went to celebrate it at Vicente Ruiz's house 'El Soro' with the comedian Paco Arévalo. This year he no longer attended the meeting with his friends because he was weak.

Fernando Esteso Allué was born on January 14, 1945 in Zaragoza, into a family of jota artists. His destiny was on stage from the beginning: he debuted at the age of six as "the Boy of the Jota" and cut his teeth in variety theater and revue. This early training gave him a versatility that would allow him to master humour, singing and acting, soon becoming one of the most recognised figures in show business in Spain at the time.

His golden age came between the end of the 70s and the beginning of the 80s, when he formed with Andrés Pajares the most profitable comedy duo in Spanish cinema. Under the direction of Mariano Ozores, they starred in massive hits such as "Los bingueros" (1979) or "Yo hice a Roque III" (1980). Their style of mischievous and costumbrist humour captured the idiosyncrasies of a Spain in the midst of the Transition, turning them into mass phenomena that filled cinemas throughout the country.

Despite his Aragonese roots, Esteso maintained an unbreakable bond with Valencia, the city where he has lived for decades.

ESTESO, Fernando (Fernando Julián Esteso Allué)

Born: 1/14/1945, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain

Died: 2/1/2026, Valencia, Valencia, Spain

 

Fernando Esteso’s western – actor:

Al este del Oeste – 1983 (Bill Golden Pistol)

RIP Henner Hofmann

 

In Memoriam — Henner Hofmann, ASC, AMC (1950-2026) 

The cinematographer, whose works included The Legend of the Mask and Juego limpio, was instrumental in founding the Mexican Society of Cinematographers and devoted his career to shaping generations of filmmakers. Noah Kadner

American Cinematographer

1/30/2026

 

Henner Hofmann, ASC, AMC — a champion for Mexican filmmaking opportunities and education — died January 30, 2026 in Cuernavaca, Mexico at the age of 75.

Hofmann was born in 1950 in Mexico City, into a family rooted in the arts. His mother, Kitzia, of French origin, was a stained-glass artist and sculptor whose work included major architectural commissions. His father, Herbert, was also a sculptor who studied at the Bauhaus and created a well-known sculpture for the façade of the Nacional Financiera (National Finance Building) in Mexico City. Growing up in a home filled with books, art and spirited discussion, Hofmann was steeped in visual culture, which shaped his lifelong connection to image-making and cinema.

One of his formative filmmaking experiences involved traveling throughout Mexico and filming documentary material of indigenous communities in the 1970s. Along with fellow filmmakers Alfonso Muñoz, Gonzalo Martínez Ortega, Nacho López, Óscar Menéndez and Juan Rulfo, Hofmann founded the Archives of Ethnic Communities. This led to his first film as cinematographer, Bajo el Mismo Sol (Under the Same Sun) in 1979.

After meeting Society member Harry Wolf and drawing upon Wolf's experience establishing a cinematographers’ association in Hong Kong, Hofmann brought together leading cinematographers — including Gabriel Figueroa, Jorge Stahl and Pepe Ortiz Ramos — as well as younger colleagues, to establish the Mexican Society of Cinematographers (AMC) in 1994.

Hofmann built a prolific career as a cinematographer with more than 25 feature and television credits spanning the late 1970s through the 2010s. His work includes films such as The Legend of the Mask (1991) and Juego limpio (1995), both of which earned him Mexico’s Ariel Award for Best Cinematography, as well as international projects like Ground Control (1998), Flight of Fancy (2000), and Vampires: Los Muertos (2002).

Through his work at the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos (CUEC, National Autonomous University of Mexico Film School) and later at the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC, Film Training Center), he actively encouraged women pursuing careers behind the camera. As a teacher and later as director of the CCC, he emphasized inclusion, hands-on experience and mentorship, shaping generations of filmmakers in the process.

Hofmann was a member of the Technicians and Cinematographic Production Guild, the Mexican Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Science, and the Screenwriters Guild of Mexico. In the United States, he was a member of the International Cinematographers Guild (IATSE Local 600) and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Hofmann became a member of the ASC in 2004, proposed by Society members Steven Poster, Gabriel Beristain and Michael O’Shea. In 2017, he received the ASC’s first-ever Certificate of Recognition for his contributions to education in cinematography.

In 2025, Hofmann was honored with a lifetime-achievement ceremony at Churubusco Studios in Mexico City, attended by many of his former students and his peers from the ASC and AMC. During that ceremony, a special tribute video was played for the veteran cinematographer.

“The world is cinematic, and it feels like I’m looking through a camera,” Hofmann says in the video. “You begin life seeing with an 18mm lens, and now I’m already at a 250mm. I’m very proud and satisfied with my work in cinematography and my academic work. If there was a circle of things like a cake cut into slices of what you like and what you want to do most — it’s the movies.”

Hofmann is survived by his wife Maria, son Sebastián and daughter Natalia.

HOFMANN, Henner

Born: 7/?/1950, Mexico City, Federal District, Mexico

Died: 1/30/2026, Cuernavaca, Morales, Mexico

 

Henner Hofmann’s westerns – cameraman, cinematographer:

Bajo el mismo sol y sobre la misma tierra – 1979 [cinematographer]

Wagons East – 1994 [cameraman]

Warden of Red Rock – 2001 [cinematographer]

Gallowwalkers – 2012 [cinematographer]

RIP Tal Berkovich

 

Model, actress Tal Berkovich killed in car accident at 41

Berkovich was in Israel visiting her family. Her brother was with her in the vehicle, and is currently in critical condition at Soroka Medical Center.

The Jerusalem Post

January 30, 2026

 

Israeli actress and model Tal Berkovich died in a car accident at age 41 on Thursday outside of Telalim, Israeli media confirmed on Friday morning.

The actress was in Israel visiting her family. Her 40-year-old brother, Gil, was in the vehicle with her on their way to their mother's birthday when they impacted a truck, and he is currently in critical condition at Soroka Medical Center, along with the truck driver, who has light injuries.

Berkovich was born in Kiryat Tivon, and performed in the Israeli ballet and the Bat-Dor Dance Company. She had a role in the 2006-2007 satirical show Paparazzi, after which she moved to London to study acting.

Berkovich worked on Israeli and American productions

In 2011, Berkovich performed in Dancing with the Stars. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she continued working on American projects such as the television shows Payday and Perfect and the 2017 movie Don't Forget Me, as well as Israeli productions, including an advertising campaign for INTIMA.

In an interview with Maariv in 2019, Berkovich talked about how her first arrival in Los Angeles left her disillusioned by the glamorous city. "I touched it and saw that not everything glitters. I saw that that's not what makes people happy. I started to investigate, to learn Kabbalah, and it brought me a lot of joy and peace, so I stuck with it. I know myself better. I have an internal peace."

Berkovich had participated in the ninth season of the cooking show Game of Chefs in Romania a few months prior to her death.

BERKOVICH, Tal

Born: 8/27/1984, Kiryat Tivon, Israel

Died: 1/29/2026, Telalim, Israel

 

Tal Berkovich’s western – actress:

In the Blood – 2019 (Dolores)