American actor Bill Paxton - a Hollywood mainstay who was one of the biggest film stars of the 1990s - has died aged 61 due to complications from surgery.
The star - best known for his roles in hit films such as Aliens, Apollo 13, Twister and Titanic - died suddenly on Saturday.
His family announced his death in a statement released on Sunday and described him as a "beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker" whose "illustrious career" spanned four decades.
His family said: "It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery."
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His family added: "Bill's passion for the arts was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth and tireless energy were undeniable."
The statement did not reveal details about Mr Paxton's health problems.
TMZ reported that he underwent heart surgery, had complications after the operation and suffered a fatal stroke.
At the time of his death he was starring as a detective in the US TV series Training Day, a follow-up to the 2001 film which starred Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.
He is survived by his wife of almost 30 years, British painter Louise Newbury, and two children, James, 23, and Lydia, 19.
His son James is also an actor and currently stars in the TV programme Eyewitness, and his daughter is a student at Duke University in North Carolina.
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Mr Paxton, who lived near Los Angeles and kept a low profile away from work, spotted his future wife on a street in London in 1982 when she was 17 and followed her onto a bus to speak to her. They married after a five-year courtship.
He told Los Angeles Magazine in 2010: "She knew me when I was struggling. She was a student.
"We met on a bus in London. I’ve seen her give birth. I was with her when her father died. Then we mixed our blood watching these two kids grow up."
It was his second marriage. His first, to Kelly Rowan, ended in divorce in 1980 after less than a year.
Tributes poured in for the versatile actor as news of his death spread on social media and Hollywood stars gathered in Los Angeles for Sunday night's Academy Awards.
Ron Howard, who directed Mr Paxton in Apollo 13, wrote on Twitter: "Crushing. #RIPBillPaxton A gr8 talent & spirit. His passion contributed so much 2 #Apollo13 & all his wrk. We'll miss the hell out of U Bil".
His Apollo 13 co-star Tom Hanks added: "Bill Paxton was, simply, a wonderful man. A wonderful man."
Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appeared in several films with Mr Paxton, wrote: "Bill Paxton could play any role, but he was best at being Bill - a great human being with a huge heart. My thoughts are with his family."
Actress Charlize Theron, who starred with Mr Paxton in the 1998 film Mighty Joe Young, wrote: "You were a great friend to me, Bill. AND one of the finest actors to share a set with. Sending so much love to Bill Paxton's family."
His True Lies co-star, Jamie Lee Curtis, wrote: "Nooooo. Bill Paxton is gone. Such a funny, talented, loving human. Louise & the children & family my [love] & support 2 u."
Helen Hunt, who co-starred in Twister, shared a photo of the pair in the film, writing: "He made this movie great - he acted his heart out. What a talented man. My thoughts are with his family."
According to his IMDb profile Mr Paxton was born on May 17, 1955, in Fort Worth, Texas. His father, John, ran a lumber company and was an occasional actor.
He once told how his mother, Mary Lou, raised him Roman Catholic and dragged him and his three siblings to church every Sunday.
When he was eight he was pictured in the crowd when President John F Kennedy left the Hotel Texas in Fort Worth shortly before he was assassinated on November 22, 1963.
Texas Supreme Court Judge Don Willett posted the photo on Twitter, writing: "So sad to hear of Bill Paxton. Good guy. Great actor. Proud Texan."
Years later he followed his father into show business after moving to Los Angeles at age 18, first finding work as a set dresser for Roger Corman's New World Pictures.
He made his debut in the film Crazy Mama in 1975 and then moved to New York to study acting at New York University. before eventually leaving a big footprint in Hollywood.
He continued to find small roles in films and TV programmes, and created his own short films, including Fish Heads which obtained somewhat of a cult status after airing on Saturday Night Live during its 1980-81 season.
Mr Paxton had a small role as a punk in The Terminator in 1984 - his first time working with director James Cameron.
He followed it up with parts as a nasty older brother in Weird Science in 1985 and a technician in Aliens, another Cameron film, in 1986.
In a statement to Vanity Fair, Mr Cameron paid tribute to his friend, writing: "He was a good man, a great actor, and a creative dynamo.
"I hope that amid the gaudy din of Oscar night, people will take a moment to remember this wonderful man, not just for all the hours of joy he brought to us with his vivid screen presence, but for the great human that he was.
"The world is a lesser place for his passing, and I will profoundly miss him."
Mr Paxton's career took off in the 1990s after he appeared in the critically-acclaimed One False Move, landing roles in Tombstone in 1993 and as astronaut Fred Haise in Apollo 13 in 1995.
His star continued to rise with the release of Twister - in which he played a tornado hunter - the following year, and he worked again with Mr Cameron on Titanic in 1997, when he played the role of a treasure hunter.
The pair also worked on True Lies in 1994, with Mr Paxton playing the role of a sleazy used car dealer.
Over his career Mr Paxton often played grizzled military men or cowboys, and was one of the biggest film stars of the 1990s.
Fans of his memorable roles noted that his characters often met a grisly end, and he was the only actor whose characters were killed by a Terminator, Predator (in Predator 2) and Alien.
Mr Paxton later had memorable roles in television, starring as a polygamist in the HBO series Big Love from 2006 to 2011, which earned him three Golden Globe nominations.
Following his death HBO said in a statement: "We are extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Bill Paxton.
"Big Love was a seminal series for HBO for many years due to Bill's extraordinary talent and grace.
"Offscreen, he was as warm, smart and fun as one could be. A true friend to so many at HBO. He will be greatly missed."
He received an Emmy Award nomination for his role in the 2012 miniseries Hatfields & McCoys, and also appeared in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Training Day debuted on the US network CBS on February 2 and Mr Paxton was promoting the series at events right up until his death.
In one of his last film roles he had a co-starring role with Mr Hanks and Emma Watson in the sci-fi drama The Circle, which is being released in cinemas in April.
In their statement his family said: "It is with heavy hearts we share the news that Bill Paxton has passed away due to complications from surgery.
"A loving husband and father, Bill began his career in Hollywood working on films in the art department and went on to have an illustrious career spanning four decades as a beloved and prolific actor and filmmaker.
"Bill's passion for the arts was felt by all who knew him, and his warmth and tireless energy were undeniable.
"We ask to please respect the family's wish for privacy as they mourn the loss of their adored husband and father."
The death of Bill Paxton