Michael Lerner passed away at the age of 81. The actor had a long and interesting career in the entertainment industry that spanned around five decades. His death sent shockwaves across the globe among movie fans who took to social media to pay their final respect.
A lot of people in the younger generation might not be aware of Lerner’s work. In his career, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, among other recognition. So let’s take an in-depth look at his life, career, and eventual cause of death.
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Life And Career Of Michael Lerner
Born on June 22, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York City, Michael Lerner’s family was of Romanian-Jewish descent. He said once that his father, George Lerner, was a “junk dealer” who thought of himself as an “antiques dealer.”
At the age of 13, Lerner made his first television appearance on a program as a “quiz kid“. Later, he portrayed Willy Loman in ‘Death of a Salesman’ at Brooklyn College. This convinced him to become an actor.
After appearing in a short film, Lerner made his film debut in 1970 with ‘Alex in Wonderland’. It was followed by his appearance in several films as a supporting cast. For his role in ‘Barton Fink‘, Lerner received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has also acted in films like ‘Godzilla’, ‘Elf’, and ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’
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How Did He Die?
On April 8, 2023, Lerner died at his home. According to The Hollywood Reporter, no cause of death was unveiled. The tragic news was made public by Lerner’s nephew, Sam Lerner, who is also an actor by profession.
Sam took to Instagram to announce the news. “It’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me,” he wrote. “His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting.”
He continued: “He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special. Everyone that knows him knows how insane he was — in the best way.”
Lerner is survived by his younger brother, Ken Lerner, and nephew Sam Lerner as well as a niece Jenny Lerner. All of them are also actors in Hollywood and have done several films and shows.
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