What happened to British actor Julian Sands?

Julian Sands is one of the world’s most beloved actors, and many memorialize him for his work in the classic film A Room With a View, adapted from the best-selling novel by E.M. Forster. He is known in both British and American acting circles and his career has been extensive.

Yet, tragically in January of this year, Sands went for a hike in the San Gabriel Mountains outside of Los Angeles and did not return. Rescue teams launched ongoing searches, but almost six months after his disappearance, everyone was still wondering, what happened to Julian Sands? Unfortunately this week, the world got an answer.

Sands, 65, is a well-known and well-loved British actor. Some of his most memorable roles include A Room With A View, Arachnophobia, 24, The Killing Fields, and Smallville, while he was most recently seen in an ongoing role in the Netflix series What/If.

His career began in 1984 with The Killing Fields which led to his starring role in A Room With a View, featuring fellow British actors Maggie Smith and Helena Bonham Carter. Professional life for Sands seemed to take off from there, and led him through several other starring and costarring roles over his decades-long career. However, the rocket to superstardom did not seem to benefit his personal life.

His first marriage to Sarah Harvey, the British journalist and author, lasted only three short years from 1984-1987, coinciding with the launching of his career. They had one son together. Then, Sands was introduced to a popular American playwright named Evegenia Citkowitz. His friend John Malkovich introduced the two, and they married soon after in 1990. The couple has been together ever since and share two daughters, while the family lives in Los Angeles, California. By all accounts, things for the Sands clan seemed business as usual, until the mysterious January day when Julian went off for a hike and did not return.

Julian Sands goes missing

Julian went missing on January 13th, just one week following his 65th birthday. He was said to have gone out alone for a hike on Mount Baldy in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles. An avid hiker and mountaineer, the trip was not an unusual one for the actor. His lack of a return, however, was most unusual to his family, and rescue teams went out immediately but severe storms in the area halted the search.

The last ping to Sand’s cell phone was on January 15, indicating it was still active and had power, yet nothing more was reported after that, most likely due to the phone running out of battery. The question remains, however, if the cell phone was active and had battery life for two days after his disappearance – why didn’t he call for help?

Then, on January 18th Sands’s car was located, but he, however, was not. On January 19, friends and family joined the search, including Sand’s adult children. As time lapsed and severe weather presented, the family’s concern grew. Reports of avalanches in the area where he was supposedly climbing added to their worry as an avalanche would explain the extended cell phone activity with no call for help, while a record snowfall in the area also did not bode well for his safe return. His brother Nick Sands expressed to the BBC that he had “come to terms” with the fact his sibling was gone, while other family members remained cautiously optimistic. The Instagram hashtag #julansands also showed a lot of friend and family support as the search continued. The San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department continued its search and shared a statement from the family on its Twitter feed last week. Unfortunately, after eight official search missions with over 500 volunteers, finally, the worst was confirmed.

Julian Sands found

This week the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s office confirmed that the human remains that were found on Mt. Baldy, were in fact those of 65-year-old beloved British actor, Julian Sands. The cause of death still remains unknown. It was a crushing blow to friends and family members who were still holding out hope that Sands somehow would be found alive. Yet after his car was located, many, including his brother, Nick Sands began to fear the worst.

His family issued a statement saying they were “deeply grateful to the search teams and coordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian.” The hashtag #juliansands is now filling with remembrances, tearful goodbyes, and reminders of the good times friends, family, and fans got to share with him. It is a sad ending to the successful life and story of the A Room With A View star. He leaves behind his wife Evenia and their two daughters, Imogen Morley Sands, 23, and Natalya Morley Sands, 26, as well as a son, Henry Sands, 37, whom he shared with his ex-wife, the journalist Sarah Sands. He also leaves behind a legacy of films and tv shows that serve as a tribute to his lifelong career and incredible talent. While his death may be tragic, his life and career will be remembered as an inspiration to many.