Sir Kenneth Branagh has led tributes to Swedish crime fiction author and Wallander creator, Henning Mankell.
Branagh, who played Inspector Kurt Wallander in the UK TV adaptation of Mankell’s books, described the “passionate commitment” of the author who died in his sleep in Gothenburg, Sweden, aged 67.
The author had suffered from cancer revealing his diagnosis in January 2014.
Branagh said: “In life and in art Henning Mankell was a man of passionate commitment. I will miss his provocative intelligence and his great personal generosity.
“Aside from his stringent political activism, and his decades of work in Africa, he also leaves an immense contribution to Scandinavian literature. His loving family, and those privileged to know him, together with readers from all over the world, will mourn a fine writer and a fine man.”
Executive producer for Left Bank Pictures Andy Harries said: “It was a tremendous privilege to know Henning and to bring Wallander to life in the English language for the BBC and Masterpiece. The final three films will serve to honour his brilliant work as a novelist and his passion for encouraging justice, equality and decency wherever he went.”
The fourth series of the UK show, with Branagh returning to the lead role, is due to air on BBC1 later this year.
Henning Mankell’s popular books sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
Edinburgh-based crime writer Ian Rankin also remembered the author, writing on Twitter: “I interviewed Henning Mankell @edbookfest a few years back, just as his books were being published in English.
“His life read like a novel,” added Rankin.
Mankell is survived by his wife, Eva Bergman, and his son, Jon Mankell.