The Tragic Death Of Crocodile Dundee Actor David Gulpilil

Award-winning Indigenous Australian actor David Gulpilil has died. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Gulpilil's death was confirmed on November 29 in a statement by South Australian Premier Steven Marshall. "It is with deep sadness that I share with the people of South Australia the passing of an iconic, once-in-a-generation artist who shaped the history of Australian film and Aboriginal representation on screen — David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu (AM)," Marshall said.

Gulpilil has often been credited for putting Australia on the map in terms of the film industry. The talented thespian starred in many successful Australian films, including "Walkabout," "Crocodile Dundee," "The Tracker," and "Charlie's Country." "I'm a ballerina, a dancer, I'm an artist, I'm a writer and I studied the earth, same as David Attenborough," he told The Guardian in 2015. "I've done so many things, of course, but now I'm performing and acting so throughout the world they can see how many things I make ... what I'm doing is introducing the country of Australia [to the world]."

Sadly, Gulpilil was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, but instead of allowing the disease to deter him from doing what he loved, he used it as a catalyst to make one final film...

Upon learning of his cancer diagnosis in early 2017, David Gulpilil opted to make a documentary about his life... and his inevitable death. 

As reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, in a documentary aptly titled "My Name is Gulpilil," Gulpilil, along with filmmakers Molly Reynolds and Rolf de Heer, decided "that the best way we could go forward was to do his life story, right until the end." According to Reynolds, it was only fitting that Gulpilil had a hand in creating his own documentary. "People, usually whitefellas, sort of speak for or about David," Reynolds explained. "David is the consummate performer, the consummate artist, actor. I thought, 'What happens if he just spoke for himself?' I knew David's capacity to deliver. I thought, 'He can hold the screen." And that he did! "One thing that pleases me about the film, for David, is that I think it has cemented his legacy," Reynolds declared. "It's the culmination of all that he has done."

RIP David Gulpilil. Here's to a job well done!