Ian Gelder, who played Kevan Lannister in HBO’s epic series ‘Game of Thrones’, has died at the age of 74. Gelder’s death was verified by his husband, Ben Daniels, who made the tragic announcement over social media.
In an Instagram post, Daniels acknowledged his great loss, writing, “It is with huge huge sadness and a heavy heart broken into a million pieces that I’m leaving this post to announce the passing of my darling husband and life partner Ian Gelder.”
Daniels reported that Gelder had been suffering from bile duct cancer since December and died suddenly.
Daniels described Gelder as his “absolute rock,” reflecting on their three-decade partnership and highlighting Gelder’s kindness, generosity, and unshakable love.
“Ian was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December, and yesterday he passed at 13.07. I’d stopped all work to be his carer, but neither of us had any idea that it would all be so fast. He was my absolute rock, and we’d been partners for more than 30 years. If we weren’t together, we spoke to each other everyday,” he wrote.
He added, “He was the kindest, most generous, spirited and loving human being. He was a wonderful wonderful actor and everyone who worked with him was touched by his heart and light. I honestly don’t know what I’ll do without him by my side. He coped with his dreadful illness with such bravery, with no self pity. Ever. He was remarkable and will be so missed. This pic was taken at Christmas time after I’d got him out of hospital and even though he’d gone through the worst three weeks there, you can still see his joy and love shining through. Rest well, my sweet Chianni.”
Tributes began to stream in from fellow actors and industry professionals, giving condolences and pleasant memories of Gelder. Matt Lanter sent Daniels his love and prayers, and Richard E. Grant mourned Ian’s death. Leslie Bibb and Missi Pyle also expressed their heartfelt sympathies, citing Gelder’s enormous light and compassion.
Ian Gelder’s talent and warmth attracted him to people all over the world, particularly his depiction of Kevan Lannister in ‘Game of Thrones’, a character for which he was praised by both fans and colleagues.