Remembering the actor Bob Hoskins

Photo by Steve Back/Daily Mail/REX

In 1986, Hoskins achieved international fame with his role as gangster George in Mona Lisa, a performance that won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award nomination and in 1988 with “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”

Remembering the actor Bob Hoskins



Bob Hoskins was born on October 26, 1942, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Raised in London, Hoskins grew up in a working-class family and left school at the age of 15, taking on various odd jobs. He had no formal training as an actor, but his natural talent and determination eventually led him to the stage and, soon after, the big screen.
Hoskins began his acting career in British theater, later moving into television roles in the early 1970s. His breakout role came with the 1980 BBC television series Pennies from Heaven, where he played the lead role of Arthur Parker. This performance won him critical acclaim and opened doors to film, establishing him as one of Britain’s most promising actors.
In 1986, Hoskins achieved international fame with his role as gangster George in Mona Lisa, a performance that won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award nomination. This role showcased his ability to bring tenderness and vulnerability to tough, morally conflicted characters.
Hoskins gained further acclaim with his lead role in the 1988 groundbreaking live-action/animation hybrid Who Framed Roger Rabbit, where he played detective Eddie Valiant. His seamless interactions with animated characters and his comic timing made the film a box-office hit.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Hoskins continued to take on diverse roles, appearing in films like Hook (1991), Super Mario Bros. (1993), Nixon (1995), and Enemy at the Gates (2001). Later, he starred in Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) alongside Judi Dench, earning a BAFTA nomination, and in Made in Dagenham (2010). Known for his distinctive Cockney accent and intense, yet warm on-screen presence, Hoskins balanced both dramatic and comedic roles.
Bob Hoskins was married twice and had four children. In 1982, he married his second wife, Linda Banwell, with whom he remained for the rest of his life.
In 2012, Hoskins was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, leading him to retire from acting. He publicly announced his retirement shortly afterward, ending a remarkable career that spanned over four decades.
Bob Hoskins passed away on April 29, 2014, in London, England, at the age of 71 due to complications from pneumonia. Remembered as one of Britain’s most beloved and talented actors, his performances in Mona Lisa and Who Framed Roger Rabbit remain some of the most celebrated in British cinema.



Look back at Bob Hoskins talking to Terry Wogan about the joys of being a Hollywood star in 1989

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