Best known for playing Game Of Thrones’ Kevan Lannister, British actor Ian Gelder died on Monday. As confirmed by his partner, Ben Daniels, Gelder’s death was the result of complications related to bile duct cancer, which he was diagnosed with in 2023. He was 74.
“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,” Daniels wrote on Instagram. Ian was diagnosed with bile duct cancer in December and yesterday he passed.”
“I’d stopped all work to be his carer but neither of us had any idea that it would all be so fast. He was my absolute rock, and we’d been partners for more than 30 years.”
An actor on stage and screen, Gelder began his career in the early ‘70s, appearing in British anthology mysteries and mini-series, including Play For Day, New Scotland Yard, and Poirot. On stage, he acted in numerous Shakespeare adaptations with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including The Merchant Of Venice and Richard III. In 2014, he appeared as Marcus Andronicus in a revival of Titus Andronicus.
Gelder is best known for his roles on Torchwood: Children Of Earth and Game Of Thrones, where he appeared as Kevan Lannister. The younger brother of Lord Tywin Lannister, Kevan was one of the Lord’s more trusted confidants, and between seasons one and six, Gelder played him in 12 episodes. Gelder also appeared on Doctor Who, His Dark Materials, and Father Brown.