Saving Private Ryan, Heat Star Tom Sizemore Passes Away

Tom Sizemore, the character actor known for his work in films like Saving Private Ryan, Born on the Fourth of July, and Heat, has passed away. Sizemore’s representative confirmed to Deadline on Friday that Sizemore passed away peacefully in his sleep after being disconnected from life support after suffering a brain aneurysm in mid-February. Sizemore’s family had announced on Monday that the doctors had determined there was “no further hope and have recommended end-of-life decision.” The actor was 61.

Sizemore was known for his work as a character actor, usually playing tough guys on the screen. He began acting in 1989 and had a small role in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July. Sizmore continued to build his resume with roles in films like Kathryn Bigelow’s Blue Steel and John Milius’ Flight of the Intruder, along with work in Point Break, Passenger 57, and True Romance. His breakout role was arguably in the fantasy comedy-drama Heart and Souls, where he played a small-time thief who was among a number of ghosts that followed Robert Downey Jr.’s character around. Sizemore earned a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for the performance.

Following that film, he went on to have another praised performance as Bat Masterson in 1994’s Wyatt Earp. He played Detective Jack Scagnetti in Natural Born Killers and then the sleazy cop-turned-bodyguard Max in Bigelow’s Strange Days. He went on to co-star in Saving Private Ryan, Heat, and Devil in a Blue Dress in the late 1990s, and Pearl Harbor and Black Hawk Down in 2001.

Sizemore’s career was hampered by his substance abuse issues, and in 2003 it was hit worse when he was convicted of domestic abuse against his girlfriend, the former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. Sizemore spent several months in jail for repeated drug test failures while on probation, and he would continue to struggle with addiction throughout the 2000s, and was again charged with domestic abuse in 2017, which he pled no contest to. He was also accused on 2017 of having sexually abused an 11 year-old on the set of the 2003 film Born Killers, and the actress filed a lawsuit in 2018. Sizemore denied any wrongdoing and the suit was dismissed by a judge in August of 2020.

Despite his personal issues, Sizemore did continue working regularly although his films became less prominent. He also worked regularly on television, with roles in such series as 2007’s Superstorm, the three season CBS drama Dr. Vegas, Starz’ two-season adaptation of the Oscar-winning drama Crash, USA Network’s Shooter, and Showtime’s 2017 Twin Peaks revival. He also worked some in video game voiceover, playing the role of Sonny Forelli in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Sid Wilson in 24: The Game.

On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Mr. Sizemore.