Trending Now: Heat and Manhunter star Tom Noonan dies as co-star pays tribute – Fans React

Tom Noonan, best known for his roles in Manhunter, Heat and RoboCop 2, has died aged 74, with co-star Karen Sillas confirming he passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day

Veteran actor and director Tom Noonan has died at the age of 74.

The acclaimed star, best known for his role in the thriller Manhunter, passed away “peacefully” on Valentine’s Day, his former co-star Karen Sillas confirmed. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed. Taking to Instagram with a heartfelt tribute, Sillas penned: “My dear friend and costar, Tom Noonan, passed peacefully on Valentine’s Day 2026.

“Working with him in his original off-Broadway play, ‘What Happened Was…,’ at the Paradise Factory Theater in the early nineties, was a turning point for me and my career that still resonates throughout my life and work as an actor. Little did I know when we shot it as a film a year later, we would be creating one of the 1990s’ most iconic Indies in American cinema. 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.”

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Noonan gained worldwide fame for his chilling performance as serial killer Francis Dollarhyde in the 1986 film Manhunter, directed by Michael Mann. His filmography also features The Monster Squad (1987), RoboCop 2 (1990), Last Action Hero (1993), Synecdoche, New York (2008), and The House of the Devil (2009), reports the Express.

Noonan appeared alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer in the 1995 crime thriller Heat. He also featured in numerous television series, playing Detective Victor Huntley in Damages (2007-2012), Reverend Nathaniel in Hell on Wheels (2011-2014), and the Pallid Man in 12 Monkeys (2015-2018).

In addition to acting, Noonan was a talented writer and director. His 1994 film What Happened Was… which he wrote, directed and starred in alongside Karen Sillas, was based on his original stage play of the same title.

The film received the Grand Jury Prize and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, whilst Noonan earned a nomination for Best First Screenplay at the 10th Independent Spirit Awards.

His last screen role was in 2017, when he portrayed Older Walter Mayhew in the mystery drama Wonderstruck, which also featured Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams.

Tributes have poured in for Noonan on social media, with one person writing: “In the early days of this podcast, we’d joke that Tom Noonan was our unofficial mascot, as he kept popping up in films we covered. I think that speaks of him as an actor, too. He’d show up, steal scenes with his command of the screen & character, & quietly leave. Legend. RIP.”

Another wrote: “Rest in peace #TomNoonan sad to hear of the passing of Tom Noonan – a truly great, natural Actor with an unforgettable screen presence.”

A third heartbroken fan expressed: “Rest in peace Tom Noonan. Terrifying in manhunter and amazing in robocop 2. So many other credits. So much talent. Thank you for your contribution to memories and cinema.”

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