Sir John Hurt is battling early stage pancreatic cancer.
The 75-year-old veteran actor revealed his diagnosis Tuesday, telling the Press Association, "I have always been open about the way in which I conduct my life and in that spirit I would like to make a statement. I am undergoing treatment and am more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome, as indeed is the medical team.
"I am continuing to focus on my professional commitments," Hurt added, "and will shortly be recording 'Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell' (one of life's small ironies!) for BBC Radio 4."
The prolific actor has appeared in a multitude of film and television roles throughout his career, which spans more than five decades, including roles in "Alien," "V for Vendetta," "The Elephant Man" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Hurt recently appeared in "Hercules" opposite Dwayne Johnson and appeared as The War Doctor for "Doctor Who's" 50th anniversary special The Day of The Doctor in 2013. According to Hurt's IMDB page, he's currently filming "The History of Love" and has been involved in (at least) five projects in the post-production stage.
Hurt received a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) medal in 2004, and he was knighted for his services to drama in Queen Elizabeth II's 2015 New Year Honours ceremony.
He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in 1978's "Midnight Express" and nominated for Best Actor for his role in 1980's "The Elephant Man."
