Julian Sands, known prominently for his role in 1985’s A Room With a View, has been confirmed dead after being declared missing since January.
Hikers recently discovered his body outside of Los Angeles in the Mount Baldy mountains. He was found Saturday morning, where the Fontana Sheriff’s Station was subsequently contacted, and the remains were transferred to the San Bernardino County Coroner for identification.
“The identification process for the body located on Mt. Baldy on June 24, 2023, has been completed and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood,” the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. “The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results. We would like to extend our gratitude to all the volunteers that worked tirelessly to locate Mr. Sands.”
Cinecom/courtesy Everett Collection
Sands, a passionate adventurer, was officially declared missing on January 13 by his family. He had embarked on a hiking expedition in the scenic Baldy Bowl Trail region of the San Gabriel Mountains. Both the sheriff’s department and dedicated volunteers have been scouring the area in search of Sands since. Unfortunately, their efforts have been hindered by the unusually harsh winter conditions, making the search even more challenging.
In a May 2020 interview for Thrive Global, he stated, “The local mountains offer great adventure, you can go out for an hour, a day or even several days. It’s always different and always fantastic. And of course, I do believe in a certain athleticism for me as an actor, keeping fit is important.” He concluded, “So living, or being based in Los Angeles — actors don’t really live anywhere, they are always on the road — lends itself to a wonderful outdoors lifestyle.”
Although missing hiker, Julian Sands, was not located during the recent search mission, the case remains active. We want to thank all the individuals who assisted in the June 17th search and the previous search missions. pic.twitter.com/TQqSvA1wAR
— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) June 21, 2023
A day before his remains were found, his family released their first statement since his search began, thanking those who have been searching for him all this time: “We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts and as an original and collaborative performer.”
Sands is also known for his roles om the Warlock films, The Killing Fields, Leaving Las Vegas alongside Nicolas Cage, and a slew of other Mike Figgis-directed films like One Night Stand, The Loss of Sexual Innocence, and Hotel. The Killing Fields was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture as was A Room With a View.
Sands is survived by his second wife, writer Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990, and his three children, Henry, Natalya, and Imogen.