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'Star Wars' Actor, 'Lord of the Rings' Dialect Coach, Andrew Jack Dies of Coronavirus Complications at 76

Andrew Jack, the dialect coach for the Lord of The Rings films, has died at age 76 from complications of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to multiple reports. TMZ was the first outlet to report on his death on Tuesday.

The Star Wars actor’s rep, Jill McCullough, said in a statement to Evening Standard that he died Tuesday morning at a hospital outside of London as a result of complications he’d developed from the deadly respiratory illness.

Jack’s wife Gabrielle Rogers was unable to be with him in England due to being quarantined in Australia, McCullough said.

“Andrew lived on one the oldest working houseboats on the Thames, he was fiercely independent but madly in love with his wife; also a dialect coach: Gabrielle Rogers,” said McCullough. “Tragically she is stuck in quarantine in Australia having just flown in from NZ last week. She was unable to see or talk to him at the end of his life and there is a chance a funeral may not be held.”

“Andrew was full of life — he was tall and striking with flowing white hair,” he continued. “You wouldn’t miss him if he walked into a room.”

His wife wrote on Twitter: “We lost a man today. Andrew Jack was diagnosed with Coronavirus 2 days ago.”

The U.K. native was most recently hired to be the dialect coach on Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader. Production for the film is now on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Jack also appeared in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi as Resistance Major Caluan Ematt. He also voiced the character of Moloch in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

His Star Wars costar Greg Grunberg honored Jack on Twitter, writing: “Devastated to hear of the passing of the wonderful, talented, beloved gentleman #AndrewJack.”

Alamy Andrew Jack alongside Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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As a dialect coach, Jack worked closely with Robert Downey Jr. on multiple films, including Restoration in 1995 and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film, as well as with Pierce Brosnan on several of the James Bond films.

Jack also worked as a dialect coach on many of the Marvel films, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The First Avenger, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.

Jack was married twice before Rogers: first to Felicity Hutchinson from 1974 to 1987, and then to Paula Jack from 2000 to 2018.

He is also survived by two children.

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