Rutger Hauer (1944-2019) was a Dutch actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years and over 170 roles. He achieved worldwide recognition as the replicant Roy Batty in Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982), delivering a dying monologue he largely rewrote himself - now one of the most quoted speeches in cinema. Alongside his Hollywood work he remained a fixture of Dutch film, collaborating repeatedly with Paul Verhoeven, and in 1999 was voted Best Dutch Actor of the Century by the Dutch public.
The documentary film Like Tears in Rain about Hauer's life, directed by his goddaughter Sanna Fabery de Jonge, premiered in March 2025 on the streaming platform Viaplay in Great Britain and the USA.
The documentary was presented as an official selection at Noordelijk Film Festival 2024 and Biografilm Festival Bologna 2025 and features interviews with Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Verhoeven, and Robert Rodriguez.
Rutger Hauer died on 19 July 2019 at the age of 75 in his home in the Dutch town of Beetsterzwaag after a short illness.
In 2013, Hauer was awarded the Order of the Dutch Lion for his contribution to cinematography.
For his role in the television film Escape from Sobibor (1987), Hauer won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
