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Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne, who gained fame for his roles as Toecutter in Mad Max and then as Immortan Joe Mad Max: Fury Road, is no more. Born in Kashmir, India in 1947, the actor passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning at the age of 73.
Keays-Byrne trained with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He headed to Australia for a production of A Midsummer Night, where he settled after that.
Brian Trenchard-Smith, who worked with Hugh Keays-Byrne in The Man from Hong Kong (1975), shared the sad news via a Facebook post. He wrote, “I am sad to report that our friend Hugh Keays-Byrne passed away in hospital yesterday.” Sharing a picture along with it he wrote, “This photo reflects the innate sense of humor he brought not only to my film but every production he worked on. He was a fine actor and a good friend to Margaret and myself for 46 years.”
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Hugh Keays-Byrne, an unsung hero of Aussie cinema, has passed away at age 73. I’m continually floored that he played Toecutter, the central antagonist of 1979’s MAD MAX *and* Immortan Joe, the central antagonist 2015’s MAD MAX: FURY ROAD. Thanks for all the entertainment, sir. pic.twitter.com/55W99w3wzq
— Ted Geoghegan (@tedgeoghegan) December 2, 2020
