Bob Hoskins Announces His Retirement from Acting After Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Actor Bob Hoskins, whose career spans more than 40 years, announced yestaerday that he is retiring from acting, after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

Here is part of the statement released by his representatives, “He wishes to thank all the great and brilliant people he has worked with over the years, and all of his fans who have supported him during a wonderful career. Bob is now looking forward to his retirement with his family, and would greatly appreciate that his privacy be respected at this time.”

Bob Hoskins began his career in the 1970s with a string of guest-starring and recurring TV roles, but his breakthrough came with his role as Harold Sand in 1980’s The Long Good Friday. He went on to star in Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and A Prayer for the Dying before reaching international acclaim by playing Eddie Valliant in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. Other notable roles include Smee in Hook, Bart in Unleashed, and Eddie Manix in Hollywoodland. He most recently starred in Snow White and the Huntsman as Muir.

The charity Parkinson’s UK also released the following statement, ‘We are sorry to learn that Bob Hoskins has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He is joining 127,000 people in the UK currently living with the condition. Parkinson’s is a progressive condition that affects everybody differently, and can change on a daily, or even hourly, basis.

‘Many people can live a full and active life with their diagnosis of Parkinson’s. However, it does affect some people quickly and severely. The important thing is that there is plenty of support available for those living with the condition. If anyone would like advice or support about Parkinson’s they can call our free, confidential helpline 0808 800 0303 or www.parkinsons.org.uk’