Ian Charleson, a respected actor and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, gave his final performance as Hamlet just months before his death from AIDS. He was 40 when he was cast in Richard Eyre’s 1989 National Theatre production of Hamlet, taking over the role after Daniel Day-Lewis left. Charleson had previously played Hamlet 15 years earlier and convinced Eyre to let him reprise the role despite concerns about his health. At the time, he was terminally ill with AIDS, though this was not disclosed to the cast or audience. During the production, Charleson’s face was said to be swollen due to a sinus operation, but he was actually suffering from septicaemia and undergoing acupuncture and chemotherapy. Despite his deteriorating health, the six-week run of the play was widely praised as one of the greatest Hamlet performances ever. The day after his final show, Ian McKellen declined an award and gave it to Charleson instead. Charleson passed away on 6 January 1990, and he had requested that his death be attributed to AIDS. Charleson was born in Edinburgh in 1949 and trained at the Bristol Old Vic. He appeared in films such as Chariots of Fire and Gandhi, but found greater success on stage. As a gay man during a time when it could harm an actor's career, he participated in Before the Act, an event opposing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. His performance in Hamlet was seen as fitting for his final months, as the play deals with themes of death and transition. A new film titled Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone and starring Andrew Scott as Charleson, will premiere at the Telluride Film Festival this weekend and open the London Film Festival in October. Scott, who played Hamlet 150 times in London in 2017, called Charleson’s decision to perform while ill “completely mind-blowing” and “incredibly courageous.” Critics are predicting Scott for an Oscar nomination following early praise for his portrayal of Charleson. Eyre called Scott’s performance “brilliant” and noted his resemblance to Charleson. While Charleson’s most celebrated performance was not preserved on film, accounts and photographs remain of his intense performance as his body failed him.