Enlarge image
Author David Seidler
Photo:
Paul Buck / epa / picture alliance / dpa
He won an Oscar in 2011 for the historical film “The King's Speech”.
Now British screenwriter David Seidler has reportedly died.
As the industry newspapers "Variety" and "The Hollywood Reporter" reported, citing his management, Seidler died on Saturday at the age of 86 while fly fishing in New Zealand.
"David was in the place he loved most - New Zealand - doing what gave him the most peace, namely fly fishing," the media quoted a statement as saying.
“If he had the chance, he would have written it exactly the same,” it continued.
Seidler was born in London in 1937.
While still a child, he emigrated to New York with his Jewish family.
Seidler ultimately set his sights on a career as an author, for example he wrote the screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola's “Tucker” and the biopic “Onassis: The Richest Man in the World”.
Seidler's most popular work was the film "The King's Speech."
The historical film won the most important prizes at the 2011 Oscars.
The best film of the year had the best actor in Colin Firth, the best director in Tom Hooper, and Seidler was awarded the award for the best original screenplay for the sensitive story.
The film is about the British King George VI, who overcomes his stuttering with the help of a therapist - a story that concerned Seidler personally.
He himself stuttered as a child.
The stage version of the material was translated into several languages and played in theaters worldwide.
evh/dpa