Max von Sydow, The Seventh Seal and The Exorcist star, dies at 90

Max von Sydow, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in films like The Exorcist and The Seventh Seal, has died at 90.

Von Sydow's death was confirmed by Deadline and Variety on Monday morning, though further details were not immediately available.

Born in Lund, Sweden, von Sydow early in his career starred in what remains one of his most well-known films, playing a game of chess with death as Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal. Von Sydow went on to star in numerous other Bergman films like The Passion of Anna, and Variety notes his "name was virtually synonymous with" Bergman's filmography.

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Throughout his decades-long career, the actor's other notable roles included Father Lankester Merrin in The Exorcist, Jesus Christ in The Greatest Story Ever Told, Ming the Merciless in Flash Gordon, and the Three-eyed Raven on Game of Thrones. He also had a small role in the opening scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Von Sydow was twice nominated for an Academy Award for his performances in Pelle the Conqueror and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. The latter Best Supporting Actor nomination came in 2012 when he was 82, making him one of the oldest Oscar nominees ever. He also received an Emmy nomination for his role on Game of Thrones.

Tributes poured in for von Sydow on Monday, with director Edgar Wright tweeting, "such an iconic presence in cinema for seven decades, it seemed like he'd always be with us."