Earl Cameron, one of the first black actors to have a leading role on British television and film, died on Friday at the age of 102.
According to Cameron’s agent, “he passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his wife and family” at Kenilworth in Warwickshire, Deadline reports.
Cameron was born in Bermuda in 1917, moved to the United Kingdom in 1939. He joined the British Merchant Marine and in 1941 he had his first role in a play called “Chu Chin Chow. ”
“When I got to London, I had no qualifications at all. It was a period when it was almost impossible for a black person to get any kind of job, “Cameron told The Royal Gazette in 2018.
Cameron continued to be a part of many plays, movies, and television shows throughout his life; his final role was a small part in Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film “Start“
In 2006, Cameron was named Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and in 2016 he was inducted into the Great Britain Hall of Fame Screen Nation.
Many of his colleagues have reached out in support, claiming that Cameron was a “total legend” and “laid the foundation for today’s actors.”
“Our family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and respect we have received from the news of our father’s passing,” one of his sons told The Guardian.
“As an artist and as an actor, he refused to take on roles that degraded or stereotyped the character of people of color. He really was a man who defended his moral principles and was inspiring. “
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