I first encountered Terence Stamp as a child in Superman II, where he played General Zod with such cool menace that even decades later I still hear that command: “Kneel before Zod!” He was magnetic – impossible to look away from, even when Christopher Reeve was in the frame.

Years later, Stamp reappeared in the most unexpected of guises: Bernadette in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. A trans woman with wit, weariness, and dignity, she was the heart of the film. In that role, Stamp became something iconic: not just a villain or a character actor, but a queer figure who meant – and still means – the world to many of us. It wasn’t just a performance; it was a gift that changed lives – including my own.

Priscilla is especially significant to me as it was the first film that my husband and I watched together. We sat on opposite sides of the bed, nervous and with a sexual tension that was electric, but unrealised on that first date. It wasn’t until many years later that I found out how the film on our second date ended!

We saw Priscilla many times at the theatre, but no Bernie on stage could compare with Terence’s towering performance.

And then, of course, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Brief, yes, but still unmistakably Terence Stamp – his presence, his gravitas. Even in a few scenes he grounded the sprawling spectacle.

Now he’s gone, and it feels like the end of a thread that tied together my own journey through childhood cinema, queer identity, and pop-culture wonder. Superman. Priscilla. Star Wars. Terence Stamp was there at each turn, shape-shifting and unforgettable.

For moving from villain to icon, from menace to miracle, from Zod to Bernadette – thank you, Terence.