Tom Sizemore, ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Natural Born Killers’ Actor Dies at Age 61

The actor Tom Sizemore, whom audiences have adored in beloved movies such as “Saving Private Ryan”, “Natural Born Killers”, and “Heat” has passed away. Charles Lago, his representative confirmed on Friday morning. He was 61.

Lago reported in mid-February that the actor had been admitted to hospital after experiencing a potentially life-threatening brain aneurysm.

Sizemore “passed away peacefully in his sleep” at Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, with his two sons and his brother, Paul Sizemore, by his side, Lago said in a statement released on behalf of the family.

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my big brother Tom,” Paul Sizemore said in the statement. “He was larger than life. He has influenced my life more than anyone I know. He was talented, loving, giving and could keep you entertained endlessly with his wit and storytelling ability. I am devastated he is gone and will miss him always.”

On Monday, Sizemore’s family was told by physicians that his health had deteriorated to the point where there was no hope of improvement, and it would be best for him to undergo end-of-life decisions in order to ease his suffering. This news was confirmed via a statement from the family.

“We are asking for privacy for his family during this difficult time and they wish to thank everyone for the hundreds of messages of support, and prayers that have been received. This has been a difficult time for them.”

Hailing from Detroit, Sizemore made a name for himself in Hollywood as the go-to guy to play tough characters.

He first made an appearance in the 1989 Oliver Stone film, “Born on the Fourth of July” and then went on to play Sgt. Vinnie Ventresca in ABC’s series “China Beach”, which was his entrée into television stardom.

Sizemore followed that with performances in various films, including “Point Break” in 1991, “True Romance” in 1993, “Natural Born Killers” in 1994 and “Strange Days” in 1995.

Tom Sizemore gained praises for his co-starring role as Bat Masterson in Kevin Costner’s western “Wyatt Earp”. Subsequently, he kept on making a name for himself with major roles in “Pearl Harbor” and “Black Hawk Down,” both movies released back in 2001.

Tom Hanks’ memorable performance as Sgt. Mike Horvath in the Oscar-winning 1998 World War II movie “Saving Private Ryan” is one of his most acclaimed works and will always be remembered by many.

Sizemore recently appeared in the Netflix series “Cobra Kai” and the independent supernatural film, “Impuratus.”

Despite his success on the big screen, Sizemore’s personal life often overshadowed his professional accomplishments.

For quite some time, he had been struggling with substance abuse problems. Unfortunately, it all culminated in 2003 when he was convicted of domestic abuse against Heidi Fleiss, his ex-girlfriend and Hollywood madam. He also encountered other legal difficulties throughout the years until finally appearing on “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in 2010 to seek help for his issues once and for all.

That same year he told CNN’s Larry King that he had been addicted to cocaine, heroin and meth.

Sizemore later talked about starring in the comedy series “Barbee Rehab” in a 2022 interview with Decider and was asked if he had some hesitancy in taking on the role.

“There was some, but it was so goofy and so not like rehab that I got over it,” Sizemore said, laughing at the time. “Plus, it wasn’t about drugs. It’s about obsessions and compulsions and… Barbees!”

During his interview, Sizemore recollected on how he was enchanted by the magic of movies like “The Wizard of Oz” when he was a child and enraptured with “Taxi Driver” as a teenager.

“I saw that movie every week for, like, two months when it was playing in the theater. I saw it eleven weeks in a row,” Sizemore said. “That’s when I first started thinking, ‘Whatever that is they’re doing up there, I want to be part of it. I want to do that.’”