British actor Anthony Head, best known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died aged 72, his daughters confirmed in a statement.
Some excerpts from the article: "His death was announced by his daughters, actors Emily and Daisy Head, in a statement released on Friday.
โIt is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head,โ they said.
โHe passed away peacefully due to complications from pneumonia, surrounded by his family. It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact he and his work have had on so many."
"Anthony Head had a profound impact on the life of poet Jay Hulme, who has spoken publicly about the kindness the actor showed him during a pivotal moment in his life.
In 2015, Head was widely praised after it emerged that he had reached out to a young fan who was struggling after coming out as transgender. Hulme had previously taken photographs with Head at a fan convention before his transition, and the continued circulation of those images, along with the use of his former name, had become distressing.
After learning of the situation, Head and his long-term partner, Sarah Fisher, invited the teenager to spend a day with them at their farm.
โBack in January 2015, when I came out as trans, Anthony Head and his wonderful wife Sarah reached out and invited me to come to their farm for the day,โ Hulme wrote on Twitter in 2019.
โThey spent the day with me, took me to the fanciest restaurant Iโd ever been to in my life, introduced me to their horses, took lovely photos, printed and signed them, and even gave me tips for an essay I was writing on Shakespeare for school.
โMost importantly, however, they gave me what I had been lacking in my life up until that point โ affirmation, compassion, and belief in my abilities,โ he said.
Hulme has since gone on to become a highly successful performance poet and author. He remained in contact with Head, who later wrote the introduction to Hulmeโs first book.
Following Headโs death, Hulme reflected on the lasting impact of their meeting, saying the actor had taken him under his wing and shown him the kind of person he could become.
โItโs not an exaggeration to say that Iโm the person I am today because of the kindness he showed me,โ Hulme wrote on social media.
โWe all have the ability to make the world a better place, each in our own way. I think itโs fair to say that Anthony Head knew this, recognised it, and did far more than most to live up to the opportunities his fame afforded him, putting good into the world whenever and wherever he could,โ he added."
