Made Up, But Still True: Everything to know about Donald Sutherland's memoir as actor dies at 88

Canadian actor Donald Sutherland passed away at the age of 88, on June 20, 2024, in Miami. He had been a part of several films, including The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H, and Klute. While his agency, CAA, confirmed the news about his demise, Kiefer Sutherland, Donald's son, uploaded an Instagram post on Thursday, where he wrote:

"With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly."

Meanwhile, Sutherland had written a memoir Made Up, But Still There, which is expected to release this year in November. In this book, the actor has provided insights into his life.

---

In Made Up, But Still There, Donald Sutherland shares his love and passion for acting

Amid the tragic news of Canadian actor Donald Sutherland's death, his upcoming memoir is worth exploring. In it, Sutherland speaks about his passion for acting and all the successes and failures he experienced. The actor further talks about his personal relationships and near-death situations, with a tinge of humor.

He shares his childhood experience of getting diagnosed with infantile paralysis, back in 1937. Later in life, he further suffered from rheumatic fever and spinal meningitis. The latter put him in a coma as well, and it took him quite some time to return to consciousness.

Sutherland further gave an insight into his romantic relationships. In the memoir, the actor wrote that he was 16 years old when he had his first s*xual encounter. She also talked about his first love, and revealed that the woman was about twice his age.

The memoir can be pre-ordered from several websites like Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, along with Target and Walmart. The pre-order for the hardcover of the book can be done at $35. Google Books described the actor's memoir as:

"The long-awaited, bracingly candid, and utterly unpredictable personal story of movie legend Donald Sutherland, sharing his deep passion for acting, his intense journey through success and loss, and every wild story in between."

The publisher spoke about the actor and his memoir, as per Associated Press, where it was mentioned:

"With his raw honesty and wicked sense of humor, the renowned actor chronicles his life in this generation-defining book, cataloging with powerful detail his far too many brushes with death, his loving relationship with his parents, and behind-the-scenes stories of the movies he’s starred in."

---

Actor Donald Sutherland's life and career explored

Born in Saint John, in July 1935, Donald Sutherland studied engineering from the University of Toronto. He later started getting interested in drama and acting, which eventually became his career.

The legendary actor was at his peak in the film industry in the 1970s. Sutherland had been considered one of the actors who never received a nomination for an Academy Award, despite being involved in several blockbuster movies. In 2017, he received an honorary Oscar for career achievement.

In 1995, he won an Emmy Award for his movie Citizen X. He also won several Golden Globe Awards, and was nominated for Emmy Awards for his miniseries Human Trafficking in 2005.

The actor was a part of several movies including Start The Revolution Without Me, The Eagle Has Landed, A Dry White Season, Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, and Fellini's Casanova, to name a few. Sutherland had been well known for his ability to perform a wide range of roles in different movies.

Amid the actor's death, several other artists paid tribute to him. Gary Ross, who was the director of the first Hunger Games film, gave a statement to The Hollywood Reporter:

"Donald. He was just so wonderful. Kind, gracious, and thoughtful–and so well read..."

Producer Nina Jacobson said:

"Snow has fallen and we couldn’t be more heartbroken. Donald Sutherland was a gentleman, a thinker and a master of his craft. We have lost one of the true reigning greats of our industry."

Actor Helen Mirren described him as one of the "smartest actors" to work with. Mirren added that Sutherland had a "wonderful enquiring brain."

1991 movie Backdraft director Ron Howard recalled his experience of working with Donald Sutherland and added that the actor was one of the most "intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time."

The late actor has left behind his wife Francine Racette, five children- one daughter and four sons, and four grandchildren.