Doug Griffin/Toronto Star via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — Douglas Rain, best-known as the soothing, understated voice of HAL 9000, the sentient computer that went rogue in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film classic 2001: A Space Odyssey, died Sunday at the age of 90.
The Stratford Festival, which Rain, co-founded in 1952, revealed that Rain died of natural causes in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, according to a statement obtained by Canada’s CTV.
Primarily a stage actor, the Winnipeg native performed all over Canada, and also earned a Tony Award nomination in 1972 for Vivat! Vivat! Regina!
Baby Driver director Edgar Wright remembered Rain on Twitter, writing of his work in 2001, “One of the best performances in film, with just his voice.”
Rain reprised the role of HAL in the 1984 2001: A Space Odyssey sequel 2010: The Year We Make Contact.
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