George Clooney and Robert Carlyle lead tributes to Tom Wilkinson

George Clooney and Robert Carlyle have paid tribute to their late co-star Tom Wilkinson.

The British actor, best known for his roles in Michael Clayton and The Full Monty, passed away suddenly at home on Saturday 30 December. He was 75.

Reacting to the death of his Michael Clayton co-star, Clooney said in a statement, "Tom made every project better. Made every actor better. He was the epitome of elegance and he will be dearly missed by all of us."

Wilkinson's Full Monty co-star Carlyle paid tribute to the "brilliant actor" on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"So sad to hear of the passing of Tom. A wonderful man, he will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him. A brilliant actor, truly one of the greats of not only his but of any generation.. RIP Tom Wilkinson," he wrote.

Elsewhere, Garrett Hedlund remembered working with Wilkinson on the set of the 2018 movie Burden.

"I wish every artist and human got to experience the depth of his heart, soul, compassion, and humor, the way I had," he wrote alongside a still from the movie on Instagram. "To work alongside Tom in #burden was a privilege and an honor. I will use his effortless command as a guiding inspiration always."

Wilkinson was also known for films such as Shakespeare in Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Selma, Rush Hour, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Batman Begins, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Sense and Sensibility.

He was nominated for an Oscar twice for Michael Clayton and In the Bedroom, won a BAFTA for The Full Monty, and won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for the 2008 miniseries John Adams.

Wilkinson is survived by his wife, actor Diana Hardcastle, and two daughters.