At first glance, you may not be familiar with Jullian Sands' name, but chances are you're more than familiar with his nearly 40-year-spanning acting career. The 65-year-old British actor is best known for starring in James Ivory's period romance A Room With A View (which inspired Anya Taylor-Joy to make 2020's Emma) and Steve Miner's 1989 horror movie Warlock. We have some sad news to report about the Naked Lunch star. Julian Sands is allegedly missing amidst California storms.
According to ABC News, Julian Sands is one of two hikers missing in the mountains of southern California amid recent winter storms. Officials from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department say search-and-rescue teams have been looking for the actor since he was reported missing by friends and family on Friday in the Mt. Baldy area.
A representative from the Sheriff's Department said that ground search and rescue crews had to be removed from the mountain on Saturday evening due to avalanche risks and dangerous trail conditions. The search continued through the use of drones and helicopters. The rescue teams plan to conduct ground searches once again as soon as conditions are safe enough. They also advise all potential hikers to stay clear of the area.
A series of atmospheric rivers have been hammering the Golden State since late December. The storms have been responsible for power outages for thousands, toppling trees, and triggering landslides.
Julian Sands is known for being an outdoorsman and for his love of hiking. He even went as far as conducting an interview from the face of the Mittellegi Ridge on the Eiger Mountain in the Swiss Alps. He told the Guardian via Los Angeles Times in a 2020 interview that he is happiest when "close to a mountain summit on a glorious cold morning."
Besides having guest roles on such 2000s hits as Fox's Kiefer Sutherland helmed real-time thriller series 24 and the WB's Smallville, Julian Sands may be recognizable to eagle-eyed film watchers for his memorable performance in director Frank Marshall's underrated '90s favorite, Arachnophobia. The actor had to perform with nearly 200 live spiders on his face, without CGI, while acting out one of the most iconic death scenes. While the Jeff Daniels creepy crawly creature feature might not be the best horror movie (which is probably why it's receiving a remake), it certainly had a significant enough pop culture impact that a spider-killing worm was named after him in homage to his work in the movie.
While Julian Sands is an accomplished climber, Mt. Baldy is considered one of the most dangerous peaks in the United States during relatively normal weather conditions. The mountains' icy terrain has led to the deaths of several experienced hikers over the years. We here at CinemaBlend hope the actor is found safe and sound, but until then, we will keep him and his friends and family in our thoughts.
If you want to revisit Julian Sands' most iconic work, A Room With a View is streaming with an HBO Max subscription, and Arachnophobia is available to anyone with a Paramount+ plan.
