Actor Terence Stamp, who starred as Superman villain, dies aged 87

Terence Stamp, the English actor who played the arch-villain General Zod in the original Superman films, has died at the age of 87.

In a career that spanned six decades, the Oscar-nominated actor starred in films including The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far From the Madding Crowd and Valkyrie.

Stamp died on Sunday morning, his family said in a statement to Reuters news agency.

"He leaves behind an extraordinary body of work, both as an actor and a writer that will continue to touch people for years to come," they said.

Bafta said it was "saddened" to hear of Stamp's death and highlighted his two Bafta nominations in 1963 and 1995.

His Superman co-star Sarah Douglas described him as "beyond gorgeous and talented".

"So saddened to learn that Terence has left us," she wrote on Instagram.

"I learnt so very much from him. What a start to my career to have spent so many months in his company.

"My love and heartfelt condolences to all who cared for him. What a loss."

Born in Stepney, east London, to working-class parents on 22 July 1938, Stamp attended grammar school before pursuing a career in advertising.

After securing a scholarship for drama school, he shot to fame in the 1960s, making his debut playing the titular role in Billy Budd, a 1962 film about a naive young seaman in the 18th century.

His performance earnt him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor and a Golden Globe for best newcomer.

He went on to make a name for himself as a villain, with stand-out performances in Superman and Superman II as General Zod, kidnapper Freddie Clegg in The Collector, and Sergeant Troy in Far From the Madding Crowd.

During his heyday in the 1960s, Stamp was known for his good looks, fashion sense and high-profile girlfriends, including actress Julie Christie - who he later starred alongside in Far From the Madding Crowd - and supermodel Jean Shrimpton.

His relationship with Christie only lasted a year but was immortalised by the Kinks in the song Waterloo Sunset with the line "Terry meets Julie", believed to reference the pair.

That opportunity finally arrived in 1976 when he was offered his most high-profile role as General Zod in the first Superman film.

Returning to the silver screen, the following decades saw dozens of appearances in films including Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, A Song for Marion, Wall Street, The Adjustment Bureau and Last Night in Soho.

"My only regrets," he told Desert Island Discs, "are the films that I passed on because I was fearful." Noting Camelot and Romeo and Juliet with Audrey Hepburn, he added that he would "like to have them in my canon".

One of his most celebrated and notable performances came in 1994 when he played a transgender woman in the Australian film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert - earning him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.

Stamp was reportedly onboard to return for a sequel to Priscilla, director Stephan Elliott confirmed last year.

Elliott described the then 85-year-old Stamp as the "fittest man I've ever met in my life" who "has never drunk and basically eats grass".

"It took him a long time to think about it until he got there," he told The Guardian, "but eventually he said to me, 'You know what? You're right. We're not finished yet. The story is untold.'"