Dick Pope death: Tom Hardy leads tributes to ‘lovely friend’ as cinematographer dies, aged 77
Film icon had a close working relationship with director Mike Leigh
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Tom Hardy has led tributes following the death of British cinematographer Dick Pope, aged 77.
The news was confirmed in a statement by the British Society of Cinematographers on Tuesday (22 October).
Pope was best known for his collaborations with director Mike Leigh, with whom he worked on 11 movies including Life is Sweet, Naked, and Secrets & Lies. He was respected for his distinctively subtle style of filming along with his appreciation for natural lighting, which were considered to blend well with Leigh’s Kitchen Sink-style movie themes and aesthetic.
He was nominated for two Oscars for his work on Neil Burger’s The Illusionist in 2006 and Leigh’s Mr Turner in 2014. His most recent credit is for his work with Leigh on Hard Truths, which will be released in January 2025.
“It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Dick Pope BSC,” the BSC statement read.
“Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the art form of cinematography. He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts of those that came before him weren’t lost.”
In a tribute on his Instagram page, Hardy wrote: “Dick Pope, British Cinematographer, lovely friend and all round legend. Aug 1947 [to] October 2024.”
The Peaky Blinders star worked with Pope on Legend, a film about the lives of London gangsters, the Kray Twins, Reggie and Ray.
Professionals in the industry shared their memories of the industry professional as film journalist Nick Newman wrote, “I interviewed Dick Pope a couple times at Camerimage over the years and never forgot how charismatic, incisive, and kind he was, the sort of person who stops a publicist because he wanted to keep talking with me. I value these convos looking at them again.”
Moonrise Kingdom actor Jared Gilman wrote, “RIP Dick Pope,an amazing cinematographer and also the recipient of this amazing flub by the academy president like 10 years ago”, referring to the viral moment when Pope’s name was mispronounced on stage.
Fellow cinematographer Steven Hall, who has worked on movies including Tom & Jerry, Fury, and The Imitation Game, wrote: “Very saddened to read of Dick Pope‘s passing. I never worked with him but met him socially and he was a truly lovely chap. He had the unique skill of making the look of a film not about the camera, but what was happening within the frame.”
Among Pope’s other movies are Philomena starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan (2013), Peterloo with Rory Kinnear and Maxine Peake (2018) and 2004 film Vera Drake starring Imelda Staunton.
Pope is survived by his wife, Pat.
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