Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of its most unforgettable character actors.
Tom Noonan, the towering performer known for chilling turns in RoboCop 2 and Last Action Hero, has died at 74. His passing was confirmed by longtime friend and co-star Karen Sillas, who shared that he “passed peacefully” on Valentine’s Day 2026. No cause of death has been disclosed.
“My dear friend and co-star, Tom Noonan passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day 2026,” Sillas wrote in an emotional tribute. She recalled working with him on their off-Broadway production of What Happened Was… in the early ’90s, calling it a turning point in her life and career.
She later described their 1994 indie film adaptation as one of the “most iconic indies in American cinema,” adding, “What a privilege and crazy fun it was working with this man and calling him my friend to the end … may his legacy continue to shine on.”
Born in Greenwich, Connecticut in 1951, Noonan first made his mark in theater. He appeared in the original off-Broadway production of Sam Shepard’s Buried Child in 1978 before transitioning to film in 1980 with roles in Willie & Phil, Gloria and Heaven’s Gate.
But it was his bone-chilling performance as serial killer Francis Dolarhyde in Manhunter that cemented his status as a master of menace. Starring opposite William Petersen as FBI profiler Will Graham, Noonan delivered a haunting portrayal that still unsettles audiences decades later.
He doubled down on cult status the following year as Frankenstein’s monster in The Monster Squad, directed by Fred Dekker. Dekker paid tribute this week, calling Noonan “a highlight of my modest filmography” and praising him as “the proverbial gentleman and scholar.”
In 1990, Noonan stepped into the cyberpunk world of RoboCop 2, playing Cain, the ruthless leader of the Nuke drug cartel — and eventually the terrifying RoboCop 2 prototype itself. The sequel, which saw Peter Weller reprise his role as the titular cyborg cop, gave Noonan one of his most physically imposing and memorable roles.
Three years later, he squared off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in Last Action Hero, once again embracing the dark side as villain Ripper.
Fans often described him as the “perfect bad guy,” but those who worked with him say the real-life Noonan was anything but.
Noonan made his directorial debut with What Happened Was in 1994 and continued working steadily in film and television for decades. He appeared in Heat, Eight Legged Freaks, Synecdoche, New York, The House of the Devil and Todd Haynes’ 2017 drama Wonderstruck, which marked his final film role.
On the small screen, he popped up in hit series including The X-Files, Law & Order, CSI, The Blacklist and 12 Monkeys. His final TV credit came in 2018 as a voice actor in the animated series Animals.
In one of his final interviews in 2021, Noonan reflected on his evolving passions.
“Writing something is more of interest to me,” he said. “It’s a skill I was sort of blessed with. I would like to make movies. The acting thing, I don’t know.”
Even as he questioned his future in front of the camera, audiences never forgot the intensity he brought to every frame.
From terrifying villains to thoughtful indie filmmaker, Tom Noonan carved out a singular career in Hollywood — one defined by depth, danger and undeniable talent.
He had a SHOCKING role in “Last Action Hero.”