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Kiefer Sutherland Is ‘Heartbroken’ After Death of Dad Donald, ‘Making Plans’ for a Tribute to Late Actor
Kiefer Sutherland has been devastated by the loss of his father, Donald Sutherland, who died in Miami on June 20 at the age of 88 following a long illness.
The Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning 24 actor, 57, is now dedicating his life to promoting the late actor’s legacy while keeping his family together and trying not to crumble through grief himself, an insider exclusively tell Closer.
“Kiefer’s heartbroken, he was so close to his dad and absolutely adored him, so this loss is hitting him hard,” says the source. “He knew it was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye.”
Last month, Kiefer posted a black-and-white photo of himself with his dad to X (formerly Twitter), captioning the post, “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.”
He added, “He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”
Now, the source tells Closer, “Kiefer is taking charge, along with his twin sister Rachel, and making plans for the right sort of tribute to celebrate Donald’s life and the impact he made.”
Not only did Donald star in a slew of hit projects such as The Hunger Games, The Dirty Dozen, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Ordinary People, M*A*S*H, Don’t Look Now, Klute and Animal House, he was also a family man.
He shared son Kiefer and daughter Rachel with his ex-wife, Shirley Douglas, and sons Roeg, Rossif and Angus with Francine Racette, whom he was married to until his death last month.
“Donald was such a huge presence in all is kids’ lives, and they all rallied around him when he got sick,” says a source of the Sutherland family. “They’re leaning on each other right now, and Kiefer is determined to make his dad proud and support everyone as they find a way through this grief.”
Even President Joe Biden paid tribute to the late actor, writing on X, “Donald Sutherland was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and one-of-a-kind actor who inspired and entertained the world for decades. My thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him.”
According to Closer‘s source, Kiefer is “so immensely proud to be the son of such a legend who made an impact on screen and off,” adding, “He’s doing his best to stay focused on what an incredible life his dad lived.”
In 2022, Kiefer told The Guardian how his famous father’s career inspired his own. “It’s hard to think of another actor who’s been as prolific and made films as diverse as Ordinary People, Don’t Look Now, Fellini’s Casanova, Bertolucci’s 1900 and The Hunger Games,” he said at the time. “His influence was to make my career as diversified and interesting as possible, which he taught me by doing, not by saying, which was really cool.”
