Helen Mirren's stepson dead at 52
Actor and club owner Rio Del Valle Hackford has died in California at age 52.
Hackford, who appeared in films and TV shows including Jonah Hex, Swingers, Treme and The Mandalorian, was the step-son of British acting legend Helen Mirren.
His brother Alex confirmed the news, saying he had died of an illness.
Rio Hackford, who was the son of director Taylor Hackford, was known by friends for being a "connector of all sorts of people," said his friend, screenwriter D.V. DeVincentis.
"Not simply obsessed with movies and how they mirrored and compelled, he was something more: a superfan of innumerable scenes, of particular gestures of unsung actors, weird career turns, roaring comebacks, cinema swan songs," DeVincentis wrote on Instagram.
Hackford was known for his joy and excitement of life, and his generous embrace of artists at his clubs including Matador and One-Eyed Jacks in New Orleans, where he also owned Pal's Lounge.
In San Francisco, he owned Homestead, and in Los Angeles he renovated the Monty bar just west of downtown.
These inclusive venues were often seen as a safe haven for alternative artists, which Rio championed.
"He was a great magnet to creative people, with a Zelig-like path that could make a page-turner of a biography. He loved the alchemy of personalities and talents, and was one of the great facilitators in this respect," DeVincentis continued.
He is survived by his wife, musician Libby Grace; two children; brother Alex; his father; and stepmother Helen Mirren.
Image credits: Getty Images