Art Evans, star of “Die Hard 2 ”and “A Soldier's Story”, dies at 82

Art Evans, the prolific actor best known for his role as Leslie Barnes in Die Hard 2, has died. He was 82.

Evans' passing as a result of complications from diabetes on December 21 was confirmed by his wife Babe Evans. "Art was not only an incredible actor but a devoted husband, friend, and source of light to everyone who knew him," she said in a statement shared with Entertainment Weekly. "His laughter, passion, and love of life will be deeply missed. While our hearts are heavy, we celebrate the legacy of joy and inspiration he leaves behind."

"Art was a remarkable talent who touched many lives with his work," Evans' representatives, LyNea Bell and Charleen McGuire, said in another statement. "He will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Our condolences go out to his wife, Babe, and their family during this difficult time. Art's legacy will never be forgotten."

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Born Arthur James Evans in Berkeley, Calf., in 1942, Art had a rich and varied life before landing in Hollywood. He was a junior Olympian in championship diving, an accomplished musician of several instruments, and a veteran of the Vietnam War.

His acting career began in the early 1970s with several uncredited roles in highly-regarded films that would prove to be widely influential. He played a waiter in Brian De Palma's 1972 Sisters; followed "Young Brother" in the acclaimed Claudine, starring Diahann Caroll and James Earl Jones; and finally a police officer part in the Charles Bronson actioner Death Wish.

Evans quickly started landing name roles, and by the end of the decade made a memorable splash playing A.D. King, brother to Martin Luther King Jr., in the 1978 miniseries King, costarring Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis, and Tony Bennett.

The actor entered his stride in the mid-1980s with sizable roles in films like Fright Night, Ruthless People, and A Soldier's Story, an Academy Award-nominated look at segregation in the U.S. Army. The role for which he is most remembered came in 1990. Evans was cast as Leslie Barnes, an air traffic controller who comes to the aid of John McClane (Bruce Willis) at a critical juncture in Die Hard 2.

Evans worked steadily in the years since, appearing in films like Tales From the Hood, Bitter Harvest, and the Rob Reiner romcom The Story of Us, as well as episodes of series like Monk, The X-Files, and most recently The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

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The official statement regarding Evans' passing additionally notes, "A long-practicing Buddhist with SGI-USA, Art believed in the perspective that life and death are the two alternating phases of life, and together, they make up the larger universal rhythm. His spiritual beliefs were an integral part of who he was, offering him peace and insight throughout his life."

Evans is survived by his wife, Babe, and their son Ogadae and his family. Evans and his wife were also parents to their late son, Sage.

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