June 29, 2007

“It was with great emotion that my husband, Jean-Daniel Lafond, and I learned of the death of William Hutt, a great Canadian stage actor.

Born in Toronto, Mr. Hutt began acting at a very young age and did not leave the stage until he was 85 years old. His sensitivity to the wider world was awakened while serving as a nurse during the Second World War. That experience showed him the fragility of the human spirit and solidified his desire to share this connection with the rest of the world through drama.

A Canadian theatre pioneer and Companion of the Order of Canada since 1969, his incredible, internationally recognized talent garnered him a number of awards, including the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 1992.

Mr. Hutt starred in over 100 plays, most often at the Stratford Festival. He played the characters of Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, and so many others. The variety of his roles was an embodiment of his love of theatre: he played kings and fools, tragic characters and comic ones. He had a passion for words and was an ardent defender of classical language. He endeavoured to make Shakespeare accessible to the audience, who so often found themselves carried away by his captivating stage presence.

On behalf of all Canadians, we would like to offer our deepest sympathies to his family and innumerable friends. May his achievements forever echo in the wings of our theatres, as well as in our hearts.”

Michaëlle Jean

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Media information
Isabelle Serrurier
Rideau Hall Press Office  
613-998-7280 
www.gg.ca
www.citizenvoices.gg.ca