The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the human remains found in the San Gabriel Mountains earlier this week are those of actor Julian Sands. Sands had been missing since January.
The cause of death is still pending, but Sands was an experienced hiker who loved the outdoors. He was last seen hiking near Mount Baldy, which is one of the highest peaks in the region. The area is known for its steep terrain and ravines, which can make it difficult to access, especially in winter.
The search for Sands had been suspended temporarily due to the severe winter weather in the area. However, it was resumed last Saturday, and the remains were found shortly thereafter.
Sands’ family has released a statement thanking the search teams and coordinators for their hard work.
“We are deeply grateful to the search teams and coordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian. 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 was a talented actor who appeared in many films and television shows, including “The Killing Fields,” “A Room with a View,” and “Warlock.” He will be missed by his family, friends, and fans.
Here are some additional details:
- The remains were found by hikers on Tuesday, June 21.
- The search for Sands had been suspended since March due to the severe winter weather.
- More than 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies, and staff participated in the search that took place Saturday.
- The cause of death is still pending.
Here is the full statement from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office:
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 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.
On Saturday, June 24, 2023, at about 10:00 a.m., civilian hikers contacted the Fontana Sheriff’s Station after they discovered human remains in the Mount Baldy wilderness. Fontana Station deputies, along with the Sheriff’s Department’s Emergency Operations Division, responded to the scene. The decedent was transported to the Coroner’s Office, pending positive identification. Identification should be completed next week at which time we will update this press release. No further details are available at this time.
Born on January 4, 1958, in West Yorkshire, Sands started his film career in 1984 with roles in “Oxford Blues” and the Academy Award-nominated film “The Killing Fields”. However, his breakthrough occurred in 1985 when he portrayed the charming George Sands alongside Helena Bonham Carter in “A Room with a View,” which propelled him to Hollywood in pursuit of more substantial acting opportunities.
In 1989, Sands took on the titular character in the film “Warlock” and its 1993 sequel, “Warlock: The Armageddon.” He also appeared in various other films, such as “Impromptu,” where he portrayed Franz Liszt, as well as “Naked Lunch,” “Arachnophobia,” “Boxing Helena,” and “Leaving Las Vegas,” in which he starred alongside Nicolas Cage, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance. Sands further showcased his talent by playing the Phantom in the 1998 horror-film adaptation of “The Phantom of the Opera” and later switched gears to co-star with Jackie Chan in the 2003 action-comedy “The Medallion.”
In the realm of television, Sands made notable contributions, including lending his voice to the character Valmont in the first two seasons of the animated series “Jackie Chan Adventures.” He also portrayed the Doci of the Ori in two episodes of “Stargate SG-1,” reprising the role in the 2008 film “Stargate: The Ark of Truth.” Additionally, he appeared as terrorist Vladimir Metternich in the 2006 season of “24” and played Superboy’s Kryptonian father, Jor-el, in “Smallville.”
Sands continued to make appearances in smaller films until 2021, with two of his titles being released directly to video.
He is survived by his wife, journalist Evgenia Citkowitz, whom he married in 1990, along with their daughters Imogen Morley Sands and Natalya Morley Sands, as well as a son named Henry Sands from his previous marriage to journalist Sarah Sands.
No plans for a memorial service have been announced at this time.
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