Rio Hackford – actor, club owner, son of director Taylor Hackford – passes away at 52
The Hollywood community is in mourning as actor and club owner Rio Hackford has passed away at 52 years of age.
While his cause of death was not yet revealed, his brother Alex Hackford told Variety that he passed in Huntington Beach following an unspecified illness.
Rio was the son of filmmaker Taylor Hackford and the stepson of his wife Helen Mirren, who appeared in a number of films and TV shows and also owned a number of nightclubs and bars around the country.
R.I.P.: Rio was the son of filmmaker Taylor Hackford and the stepson of his wife Helen Mirren, who appeared in a number of films and TV shows and also owned a number of nightclubs and bars around the country
Rio was the oldest child of director Taylor Hackford and his first wife Georgie Lowres, who were married from 1967 to 1972.
He started his acting career with an uncredited role as a ‘street junkie’ in the 1990 classic Pretty Woman.
He also had roles in Blood In, Blood Out, Exit to Eden, Double Dragon, Safe and Strange Days, before landing Skully in the 1996 indie classic Swingers.
Oldest: Rio was the oldest child of director Taylor Hackford and his first wife Georgie Lowres, who were married from 1967 to 1972
His character Skully literally runs into Sue (Patrick Van Horn), which nearly starts a fight before Sue pulls a gun on Skully and his crew.
Skully is later seen playing video games with Trent (Vince Vaughn), as Sue reveals that they apologized and became friends.
He also starred in films such as Sherrybaby, Stay Alive, Deja Vu, Fred Claus (reuniting with Vince Vaughn), Deal, Jonah Hex, Love Ranch, Parker and Trumbo.
Roles: He also starred in films such as Sherrybaby, Stay Alive, Deja Vu, Fred Claus (reuniting with Vince Vaughn), Deal, Jonah Hex, Love Ranch, Parker and Trumbo
Most recently he’s been keeping busy on the small screen with roles in American Crime Story and The Mandalorian, playing the on-set performer of droid IG-11, who was voiced by Taiki Waititi.
His last role was of a manager in the Hulu series Pam & Tommy.
He also owned a number of clubs and bars including Pal’s Lounge, Matador and One-Eyed Jacks in New Orleans, Homestead in San Francisco and the Monty bar in Los Angeles.
His stepmother Helen Mirren remembered Rio by sharing a photo of him on Instagram, captioned, ‘El Rio.’
Remembered: His stepmother Helen Mirren remembered Rio by sharing a photo of him on Instagram, captioned, ‘El Rio’
His friend, screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis shared a photo of Rio along with a heartfelt message to his fans.
‘Life is experience. Time and sensation folding together, framing each other. Rio was more attuned to experience than anyone I’ve ever known,’ he began.
‘He would stop what was happening to point it out, compel you to pay attention. He would order you a must-have experience from a beloved menu and hold your eye as you paid attention to what was happening in your mouth. “Right, Guy? I mean… right?”’ the writer added.
Began: ‘Life is experience. Time and sensation folding together, framing each other. Rio was more attuned to experience than anyone I’ve ever known,’ he began
‘He would put an experience for you on the stereo, then start it over and play it again for you because we were talking over it the first time and “Pal, you really have to listen to it,”‘ he added.
‘Not simply obsessed with movies and how they mirrored and compelled, he was something more: a superfan of enumerable scenes, of particular gestures of unsung actors, weird career turns, roaring comebacks, cinema swan songs — all real experiences for you, when beheld consciously,’ DeVincentis continued.
‘During phone calls from one traveling cell phone to another, he would keep track of where you were and let you know what incredible meal or bar was in your vicinity, a gourmand GPS thrumming at all times, for you,’ he added.
‘And those long long calls went by so quickly, his gift of gab so paradoxical as set in his Gary Cooper laconic mien,’ he said.
‘Worthy experience isn’t everywhere. But Rio knew the closest to you at any given moment, and keeping track of these precious possibilities for you was his most fluent language of love. Rio was the apex curator of experience, it was his oxygen, his life,’ the writer concluded.
Obsessed: ‘Not simply obsessed with movies and how they mirrored and compelled, he was something more: a superfan of enumerable scenes, of particular gestures of unsung actors, weird career turns, roaring comebacks, cinema swan songs — all real experiences for you, when beheld consciously,’ DeVincentis continued