Dan Fogelman Remembers “Playful and Fun” Rutger Hauer

July 24, 2019 12:14pm

Rutger Hauer in Galavant — Rutger Hauer in 'Galavant' ABC

In a nod to Paul Verhoeven’s cult 1969 series, Floris star Rutger Hauer in 2014 was tapped for a recurring role on Dan Fogelman’s ABC musical fairytale comedy series Galavant. It was an inspired casting, and Fogelman today remembered fondly the beloved genre actor who died July 19 at age 75 after a long illness.

“I was so saddened to hear the news about Rutger’s passing,” Fogelman told Deadline. “He joined us in the UK during our run on Galavant. He was playful and fun and we never quite knew what he was going to do from moment to moment… which was terrifying and thrilling all at once. Much like him. He will be missed.”

Best known for his role in another cult project, the 1982 movie Blade Runner, Dutch actor Hauer got his break in his native country when he landed the title role in Floris, also about a wronged knight taking on the big and powerful.

“Myself and our producing director Chris Koch are the biggest Rutger fans of all time; Chris can practically recite Blade Runner from memory,” Fogelman told Deadline in 2014. “While the musical comedy aspect of our show makes it obviously pretty different from Floris, there is something about merging the worlds — and a badass Rutger — that makes it pretty exciting.”