You might not recognize the name despite how distinctive it is, but Yaphet Kotto was likely someone you've seen before if you've seen any number of films a few decades ago. Amongst the most notable roles he portrayed was as Technician (or Chief Engineer) Dennis Parker in Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien, the dual identitied Villain named Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in 1973's Blaxploitation themed Bong Film Live and Let Die starring Roger Moore, and William Laughlin, one of the heroes companions in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film The Running Man.
At six foot three and over two hundred pounds, Yaphet Kotto was an imposing figure on and off the set as well as a deeply passionate actor, one of the ones other actors would tell stories about. Reportedly during the shooting of Alien, Ridley Scott actually avoided the actor during shoots because Yaphet Kotto allegedly refused to have his character killed by the alien adversary because he was so lost in the portrayal of his character as a strong and imposing crewmember that he refused to film that scene.
Of course, as anyone whose seen the movie knows, his character eventually met that preordained fate though still not in the manner originally intended.
Sigourney Weaver meanwhile stated working with Yaphet Kotto was like taking a daily 'master class' in acting.
He also starred as a dream therapist in Nightmare on Elm Street VI: Freddy's Dead where he helped hatch the plot to eventually kill that franchises titular villain and thus put an end to the substandard Freddy Krueger sequels at three.
Normies might best remember Yaphet Kotto's performance as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street though he later stated he struggled in the role because he wasn't able to showcase his acting potential due to the serialized nature of the medium and how dominate the showrunning writers were in controlling what went on the small screen. He also earned critical acclaim for his performance as the lovable Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin in the 1977 historical film Raid on Entebbe for which he earned an Emmy nomination.
Also as an interesting bit of trivia he was also considered for the role of Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars movies AND for the role of Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation but ultimately didn't get either roles though it might've been for the best as Kotto later explained he didn't want to be typecast or tied down to one franchise. His varied career seemed to keep him safe from that danger.
He also starred in films such as Brubaker, Midnight Run, The Park is Mine, and guest starred in television shows like The A-Team and Seaquest DSV.
He was married three times and had six children. It was his third wife whom he was living with in the Philippines who reported his death publicly in a Facebook post. He had retired from acting since then, with the exception of one movie and offering his voice acting talent to the 2014 computer game Alien: Isolation where he reprised what might've been his most famous role... in Science Fiction anyways.
And just to finish it off, here's a funny (produced by Michael Moore no less) over who will get a cab first, Yaphet Kotto or a White Felon in 1990's New York City.
nypost.com
At six foot three and over two hundred pounds, Yaphet Kotto was an imposing figure on and off the set as well as a deeply passionate actor, one of the ones other actors would tell stories about. Reportedly during the shooting of Alien, Ridley Scott actually avoided the actor during shoots because Yaphet Kotto allegedly refused to have his character killed by the alien adversary because he was so lost in the portrayal of his character as a strong and imposing crewmember that he refused to film that scene.
Of course, as anyone whose seen the movie knows, his character eventually met that preordained fate though still not in the manner originally intended.
Sigourney Weaver meanwhile stated working with Yaphet Kotto was like taking a daily 'master class' in acting.
Sigourney Weaver said:
He also starred as a dream therapist in Nightmare on Elm Street VI: Freddy's Dead where he helped hatch the plot to eventually kill that franchises titular villain and thus put an end to the substandard Freddy Krueger sequels at three.
Normies might best remember Yaphet Kotto's performance as Lieutenant Al Giardello in the television series Homicide: Life on the Street though he later stated he struggled in the role because he wasn't able to showcase his acting potential due to the serialized nature of the medium and how dominate the showrunning writers were in controlling what went on the small screen. He also earned critical acclaim for his performance as the lovable Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin in the 1977 historical film Raid on Entebbe for which he earned an Emmy nomination.
Also as an interesting bit of trivia he was also considered for the role of Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars movies AND for the role of Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation but ultimately didn't get either roles though it might've been for the best as Kotto later explained he didn't want to be typecast or tied down to one franchise. His varied career seemed to keep him safe from that danger.
He also starred in films such as Brubaker, Midnight Run, The Park is Mine, and guest starred in television shows like The A-Team and Seaquest DSV.
He was married three times and had six children. It was his third wife whom he was living with in the Philippines who reported his death publicly in a Facebook post. He had retired from acting since then, with the exception of one movie and offering his voice acting talent to the 2014 computer game Alien: Isolation where he reprised what might've been his most famous role... in Science Fiction anyways.
And just to finish it off, here's a funny (produced by Michael Moore no less) over who will get a cab first, Yaphet Kotto or a White Felon in 1990's New York City.
Yaphet Kotto, Bond villain and ‘Alien’ star, dead at 81
Social media salutes and tributes are being made to the late “Live and Let Die” star whose death was first announced by his wife Tessie Sinahon Monday night.
nypost.com
Last edited: