(NEXSTAR) – Angus MacInnes, a Canadian actor who appeared in two “Star Wars” films as Jon “Dutch” Vander — the leader of the rebellion’s Gold Squadron — has died at the age of 77, his family said on Facebook.
MacInnes passed away last Monday, according to the post.
“For Angus, the fans of Star Wars held a special place in his heart. He loved meeting you at conventions, hearing your stories, and sharing in your passion for the saga,” his family wrote in the statement. “He was continually humbled, delighted, and honoured by the admiration and passion of the fans and convention community.”
MacInnes made his big-screen debut in the 1975’s “Rollerball,” and went on to appear in such films as “Superman II,” “Witness,” “Judge Dredd,” “Hellboy” and “Captain Phillips,” among other TV and movie roles. But fans of the “Star Wars” franchise may remember him from “Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope,” and later 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” in which he voiced his original Gold Leader character, per IMDb.
“I’ve done other pictures that I’m very proud of, and I worked with directors that I’ve loved working with, in a purely creative way. But ‘Star Wars’ is something that transcends that. It was a good movie, as a movie, but it also has this sort of social bell that it rings,” MacInnes said at a press panel in 2018, when asked about his thoughts on being part of the franchise.
“Knowing that you’re part of something like that has got a nice resonance to it,” he also said.
MacInnes’ cause of death was not disclosed by his family.
