R.I.P. Alan Arkin: ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ Oscar-Winner Was 89

Alan Arkin, an Oscar and Tony winner known for his roles in Catch-22, Little Miss Sunshine and Argo, has died. He was 89.

Arkin’s death was confirmed by his sons Adam, Matthew and Anthony, who shared the following statement with People: “Our father was a uniquely talented force of nature, both as an artist and a man. A loving husband, father, grand and great grandfather, he was adored and will be deeply missed.”

Decider has reached out to Arkin’s rep for comment.

Arkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 26, 1934, and later moved to Los Angeles with his family. He enrolled in multiple colleges after high school, per People, and is listed as an alum of Vermont’s Bennington College, which he graduated from in 1955. After a brief stint in music as a member of a folk band, Arkin joined Chicago’s Second City improv group and later performed on Broadway, starring in 1963’s Ever Laughing.

His time onstage naturally led Arkin to his film and television career, which kicked off in 1964 with an episode of East Side/West Side. Shortly after, Arkin received his first Oscar nod with a nomination for 1966’s The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming; he would go on to receive four Oscar nominations throughout his career.

In the following years, Arkin became a staple onscreen, playing Catch-22‘s Yossarian and appearing in films like The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Gattaca and The Muppets.

His television credits over the decades include Sesame Street, St. Elsewhere, Carol Burnett & Company, Faerie Tale Theatre and Chicago Hope.

Arkin was nominated multiple times for his work, earning Academy Award noms for The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming and Argo, and earning Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in 2007 for his work on Little Miss Sunshine. He was also nominated for multiple Emmys and Golden Globes, and won a Tony for Enter Laughing.

In recent years, Arkin appeared in 2013’s Armed Response, BoJack Horseman, Get Shorty, Dumbo and Spenser Confidential, as well as Netflix‘s The Kominsky Method, in which he starred alongside Michael Douglas from 2018 through 2021. His final film credit is listed on IMDb as Minions: The Rise of Gru.

Seinfeld‘s Jason Alexander was one of the first to share the news of Arkin’s death. The actor wrote on Twitter early Friday morning, “#ripAlanArkin Such a wonderful, original voice for comedy. And on the few occasions I was in his presence, a kind and generous soul.”

Alexander continued, “I learned so much from watching him. And the laughs I got from his glorious work seem endless. May he rest well.”