Finding Nemo And The Hobbit Voice Actor Barry Humphries Dead At 89
Barry Humphries, best known for lending his talents to "Finding Nemo" and "The Hobbit," has died. He was 89. The Australian actor and comedian died in a Sydney hospital following complications from hip surgery. Humphries' death was confirmed in a heartfelt statement written by his family, obtained by AP News. "He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit," the statement reads.
Humphries first rose to prominence when he debuted his character Dame Edna Everage in the 1972 film "The Adventures of Barry McKenzie." The purple-haired, cat eye-glasses-wearing Dame had been a part of Humphries' comedy routine for years prior, only to become an international phenomenon in the 70s and 80s. The character spearheaded several television programs, including "The Dame Edna Experience" and "The Dame Edna Treatment."
Outside of his Dame Edna persona, Humphries was a prolific comedian, actor, and voice actor. He voiced Bruce the shark in "Finding Nemo" and served as the narrator for the animated darling "Mary and Max." The Tony-winning comedian also voiced the Great Goblin King in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."
Fans mourn the Dame Edna performer
Following Barry Humphries' passing, several of his fans, colleagues, and celebrity admirers took to Twitter to pay tribute. "For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas," wrote Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a heartfelt tweet, calling the comedian a "great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift." Humphries was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1982, making him one of Australia's most prolific citizens.
The comedian had broad, international appeal, especially in the United Kingdom. English comedian Ricky Gervais also commemorated Humphries' legacy on Twitter, saying, "Farewell, Barry Humphries, you Comedy genius." Matt Lucas, best known for his appearances in "Doctor Who" and "Bridesmaids" shared a photo of him and Humphries on social media, pondering, "I wonder if all geniuses are as lovely as Barry Humphries."
In the wake of Humphries' passing, several of his Dame Edna bits have gone viral, including a clip involving the character infiltrating Prince Charles and Camilla's private seating area during a performance.