Oscar Winner David Seidler Dies While Fly-Fishing At The Age Of 86

David Seidler, the award-winning writer of The King's Speech, has died at the age of 86. The Academy Award winner passed away on Saturday while fly-fishing in New Zealand. David's long-time manager confirmed the sad news, but the cause of death was not revealed.

David Seidler passes away

David Seidler's death shocked the nation. "David was in the place he loved most in the world -- New Zealand -- doing what gave him the greatest peace which was fly-fishing," his longtime manager Jeff Aghassi said in a statement.

"If given the chance, it is exactly as he would have scripted it," the statement further read.

David Seidler's legacy

David Seidler received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Tom Hooper's 2010 film The King's Speech, starring Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter. The historical drama won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

The theatrical adaptation of The King's Speech has been translated into more than a half-dozen languages and performed on four continents. The drama was supposed to transfer to Broadway after its debut at the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End in 2012, but the COVID epidemic cut it short in 2020.

Seidler wrote multiple TV movies, including Onassis: The Richest Man in the World (1988), Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988), Whose Child Is This? The War for Baby Jessica (1993), Dancing in the Dark (1995), Come on, Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story (1999) and By Dawn's Early Light (2001). He also wrote episodes for series such as Adventures of the Seaspray, Days of Our Lives, Another World, General Hospital, The Wonderful World of Disney and Son of the Dragon. Seidler is survived by his adult children, Marc and Maya, reported Variety. 

(With inputs from ANI)