Al Matthews, a real-life sergeant who excelled in tough-guy military roles, has died at 75 in Spain, The Daily Beast reports.
Got that?! (GIF via 20th Century Fox)
The American-born actor, who lived in England for many years, had retired to Spain over a decade ago.
During the Vietnam War, Matthews reportedly became the first black soldier elevated to the rank of sergeant meritoriously. While in England, he was considered to have been the "first black voice" on Radio 1.
In films, Matthews is most famous for his role as Sergeant Apone in the 1986 mega-hit Aliens. Following his acting debut in a 1977 short, he appeared in a number of high-profile projects, including Yanks (1979), Rough Cut (1980), Ragtime (1981), Superman III (1983), The Fifth Element (1997) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).
His final film, currently in post-production, is entitled The Price of Death.
