"It is with great sadness we can confirm that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88," his agent said in a statement. "He died peacefully in hospital with his family," he added.
His illness was Parkinson's-related, his agent confirmed. Holm, who also played Dr Willis in The Madness of King George, was classically trained and put in memorable performances in such Shakespeare plays like King Lear. He originated the role of Lenny in Harold Pinter's The Homecoming in 1965, reprising his performance on film eight years later. He only made the move from the stage to the screen midway though his career, with an adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1968.
Later on in his career he worked more in film, thanks to roles in such high-profile films as The Fifth Element and the Lord of the Rings film series.