Mike Mitchell, known for his roles in Gladiator and Braveheart, died on Friday. According to his family, he died of natural causes. The 65-year old actor-body builder was on his boat in Turkey, when he passed away. No additional details were provided.
The Scotsman started his career as a body builder. He won several fitness competitions and titles. He won the title of Mr. Universe twice as well as Britain’s Strongest Man. The World Fitness Federation (WFF) honored him with the Living Legend Award, its highest honor in 2010. He was involved in several sports including fitness, sailing, horse riding and power sports.
According to his website he described himself as a professional actor, former WWF fitness World Champion and Mr. Universe. He said that he acted as a skipper for his boat, when he was not filming and said that he knew the best spots in and around the Aegean Sea.
Mitchell began his acting career in 1994 in the movie Braveheart. His imposing size and body was the reason for his break in Hollywood. He also appeared in Gladiator and several other movies some of which were
- The Planet
- City of Hell
- Life on the Line
- One Day Removals
- Emmerdale
- Skyfall
- Legend of the Red Reaper
- Pearls of Africa.
He provided the voice over in English for the movie Silent Angel. It appeared in the lineup for Cannes 2018. He also won an award at the Trakya Film Festival in the category – best performance of a foreign actor in a Turkish production for the movie Mendiliim Kekik Koyuvor (My handkerchief smells of tyme). He played the role of an Australian Anzac Army Officer.
In 2006, Mitchell had suffered from a heart attack. He had just won his fifth World Fitness Title. After the attack he had concentrated on movie roles. He leaves behind a wife, Denise and children. There have been no revelations of memorial plans, as yet.
