Trigger Warning: This article contains a mention of death.
The beginning of May 2024 has turned out to be heavy for Game of Thrones fans as well as those who were close to Ian Gelder. The Game of Thrones actor had passed away at the age of 74, following which his husband, Ben Daniels, paid him a tribute on social media.
Here’s everything about the English actor and his loving partner, Gelder.
Who is Ben Daniels?
Born on June 10, 1954, Ben Daniels is an actor who started his career with stage plays. His television series credits include Cutting It, The Virgin Queen, Law & Order: UK, The Paradise, and House of Cards, as well as The Exorcist.
His versatility in acting draws from his early roles, one of which was that of Justin Hayward, the frontman and the singer of Moody Blues. He played this role in two of the band’s music videos.
Talking about his achievements, he won the 2001 Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor, following his portrayal of acting talent in a play by Arthur Miller called All My Sons. He was even nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1991 for his role in Never the Sinner.
Similarly, he was also nominated for the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor in 1994 for 900 Oneonta and then for Best Actor in the M.E.N. Theatre Awards in 1998 for Martin Yesterday.
Daniels came forth, revealing his homosexuality when he was 24, during a performance of Martin Sherman’s Bent. Until then, he had never discussed this with his parents, as they didn’t share a close bond.
He had been in a relationship with Ian Gelder since 1993, after meeting him on the set of Entertaining Mr Sloane.
Ben Daniels pays tribute to his late husband
Ian Gelder, who is widely appreciated for his acting skills and portrayal of various characters in series such as Game of Thrones and Snatch, passed away on May 6, 2024.
Following the tragic incident that has taken a huge toll on his loved ones, his husband, Ben Daniels, took it to the internet and expressed his deeply rooted memories and emotions.
Through his saddening words, Daniels wrote on Instagram, “It is with huge huge sadness and a heavy heart broken into a million pieces that I’m leaving this post to announce the passing of my darling husband and life partner Ian Gelder.”
He further mentioned that the late actor was “diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December.”
The stage actor mentioned that he had recently stopped working as a caregiver for Gelder, while adding, “Neither of us had any idea that it would all be so fast.”
Calling Gelder his “absolute rock,” Daniels also stated, “He was the kindest, most generous-spirited and loving human being.”
