Tom Sizemore has died at the age of 61. The actor, known for roles in Saving Private Ryan, Twin Peaks, and Shooter, suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18. Ten days later, doctors said there was “no further hope” for his recovery, prompting his family to begin “deciding end of life matters.”
Sizemore’s death was confirmed by his manager, Charles Lago, to People on Friday, March 3.
On February 28. Lago gave Variety a health update, saying “doctors informed his family that there is no further hope and have recommended end-of-life decision. The family is now deciding end-of-life matters and a further statement will be issued on Wednesday.”
“We are asking for privacy for his family during this difficult time and they wish to thank everyone for the hundreds of messages of support, and prayers that have been received,” the statement continued. “This has been a difficult time for them.”
Sizemore’s aneurysm was caused by a stroke, doctors determined after his February 18 fall at his Los Angeles home. He remained in a coma in the intensive care unit throughout his subsequent hospitalization.
Dreamworks/courtesy Everett Collection
Sizemore’s career spanned TV and film roles starting in the 1980s. His first TV role was in the series Gideon Oliver. The same year (1989), he appeared in Born on the Fourth of July and had a recurring role in six episodes of China Beach. Additional credits include Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, True Romance, Point Break, Hawaii Five-0, The Relic, Wyatt Earp, Robbery Homicide Division, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Heat, and Natural Born Killers. Military dramas were a constant genre throughout his career.
One of Sizemore’s more recent appearances was in an episode of Cobra Kai. He also starred in the Tubi comedy series Barbee Rehab. The actor stayed busy with small projects in recent years. According to IMDb, he has 34 upcoming projects still to come out.
In 2000, Sizemore was nominated for a Golden Globe for his supporting role in Witness Protection. He was also nominated among the Saving Private Ryan ensemble for Outstanding Performance by a Cast at the 1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
The actor struggled with substance abuse, telling Larry King in a 2010 interview that he had used cocaine, crystal meth, and heroin. His substance abuse led to several legal issues in his personal life that impacted his career. He was convicted of domestic violence against his then-girlfriend Heidi Fleiss, known as the “Hollywood Madam,” in 2003, receiving a sentence of seven months in jail and four months in drug treatment in 2005 for repeatedly failing drug tests. He also was caught attempting to fake a urine test during that time.
In 2013, Sizemore said he began to achieve sobriety after Heat co-star Robert De Niro staged an intervention. He was charged with domestic abuse again in 2017, pleading no contest and serving 36 months summary probation, among other requirements. In 2017, 2003 sexual abuse allegations surfaced revealing that he was thrown off the set of Born Killers for reportedly molesting an 11-year-old actress when the film was on location in Utah. He denied wrongdoing and was allowed back on set after a local prosecutor decided not to go forward with the case.
In 2018, the actress (then 26), sued Sizemore for the reported emotional damage from the abuse, seeking $3 million. Sizemore denied wrongdoing once more. The suit was dismissed in 2020 by a Utah judge.
Sizemore was married to The Bold and the Beautiful actor Maeve Quinlan from 1996-1999. He is survived by 17-year-old twin sons Jagger and Jayden Sizemore, whom he shared with Janelle McIntire.
