The public has said goodbye to a significant number of Hollywood stars as of late and, sadly, yet another has left us far too soon. Rio Hackford, the actor and club owner known for his roles on shows like The Mandalorian and Pam & Tommy, has died at the age of 51. Hackford was the son of Parker director Taylor Hackford, the husband of Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren. Following her stepson’s death, Mirren took a moment to pay tribute to him.
Helen Mirren paid tribute to her late stepson through an Instagram post. In it, she dropped a photo that shows Rio Hackford sporting a large smile and added the simple caption, “El Rio.” You can take a look at her post down below:
The actress wasn’t the only person to pay tribute to the star, as his friend, screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis memorialized him with an Instagram post of his own. Aside from dropping of photo of his deceased friend, DeVincentis penned a lengthy caption, in which he reflected on his experiences with the actor:
Life is experience. Time and sensation folding together, framing each other. Rio was more attuned to experience than anyone I’ve ever known. He would stop what was happening to point it out, compel you to pay attention. He would order you a must-have experience from a beloved menu and hold your eye as you paid attention to what was happening in your mouth. ‘Right, Guy? I mean… right?’ He would put an experience for you on the stereo, then start it over and play it again for you because we were talking over it the first time and ‘Pal, you really have to listen to it.’
Rio Hackford’s death was confirmed to Variety by his brother, Alex, who stated that the performer died after an illness. Born on June 28, 1970, Hackford began his professional acting career in the ‘90s, making his film debut with an appearance in Pretty Woman. From there, he’d appear in other notable movies like Treasure Island, Strange Days, Stay Alive and Jonah Hex.
His most notable roles were arguably on the small screen, though. Aside from appearing on notable TV series such as True Detective, American Crime Story and Togetherness, he’s best known for playing the recurring role of Toby on the HBO drama Treme, which wrapped up after four seasons. He would later make his mark in the Star Wars universe when he did the performance work for the droid IG-11 in Season 1 of The Mandalorian. The character became a fan-favorite, and Taika Waititi, who voiced the ex-bounty hunter unit, has since referred to him as “the hero of the entire season.” He most recently appeared as a manager on the limited series Pam & Tommy, which was released on Hulu this past February.
He also appeared on his stepmother’s ABC comedy series, When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren, in a variety of roles. Mirren, who will soon appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, seems to have had a firm love for her recently departed son. One would think that she has sweet memories of him, which could serve as a comfort to her at this time.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our condolences to the family and loved ones of Rio Hackford.
