Veteran actor Tom Skerritt passed away peacefully at home on October 21, 2026, due to natural causes at the age of 93. His spokesperson and family have confirmed the news.
In a statement, his family said that while the public knew Skerritt for his acting career, his family remembered his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he gave them. He was deeply committed to imagination, creativity, storytelling, and community service, and cared about veterans' groups and nature conservation.
Skerritt had an acting career spanning approximately 60 years. His notable screen roles include Captain Dallas of the Nostromo in Alien and Instructor Mike "Viper" Metcalf, who trained pilots in Top Gun.
Before entering the entertainment industry, Skerritt briefly served in the U.S. Air Force. After his discharge, he pursued acting and launched his screen career in 1962 with a role alongside Robert Redford in War Hunt. He also won an Emmy Award for his performance in the popular series Picket Fences.
Skerritt was married three times and had five children.