Donald Sutherland was born in 1935 in Saint John, New Brunswick. After graduating high school, he went on to attend Victoria College at the University of Toronto, where he received a degree in engineering and drama in 1958. During his time at U of T, he was a member of the UC Follies, and participated in various theatrical productions on campus.
At 21, Sutherland (centre) starred as Stephano in a Hart House Theatre production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Sutherland then decided to attend the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in the UK, hoping to pursue a career in acting. He was cast in a number of minor roles in various TV series and horror films. His first major breakthrough came when he was cast in The Dirty Dozen, a critically-acclaimed American war film released in 1967. A few years later, Sutherland played the role of “Hawkeye Pierce” in the hit film M*A*S*H.
Since then, Sutherland has had a long and illustrious career in film and television. He has been recognized with the Order of Canada, and also has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. His most recent work includes Cold Mountain, The Italian Job, and The Pillars of the Earth. Today’s generation may know him best for playing the villainous President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise.