Terence Stamp, the British actor who often portrayed complex villains, including General Zod in the early Superman films, has died. He was 87.

His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online.

Stamp’s six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his portrayal of Bernadette, a trans woman, in 1994’s The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Stamp also was widely praised for his lead in director Steven Soderbergh’s 1999 crime drama The Limey.

But it’s his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978’s Superman, and its sequel Superman II two years, later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian archenemy to Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker and charming — more human — element to the franchise, one that’s been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since.