File photo of Bob Hoskins attending news conference for the film 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' in Toronto
British actor Bob Hoskins attends a news conference for the film 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' at the 30th Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto in this September 9, 2005 file photo. Hoskins, who rose to fame for his performance in the film "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and dozens of others, has died after a bout of pneumonia at the age of 71, his publicist said on April 30, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Cassese/Files

Bob Hoskins, one of the most popular British actors, died at 71. According to his agent, Hoskins was surrounded by his dear ones when he passed away on Tuesday, April 29. The actor was suffering from pneumonia.

Hoskins was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011, which led to his retirement from acting in 2012. The Guardian called it his "gruff bonhomie" that Hoskins was known for. He had a career of over 30 years while he acted in movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Nixon (1995) and A Christmas Carol (2009). However, his most acclaimed work came for Mona Lisa (1986). He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor while he received the BAFTA and the Golden Globe for his portrayal of George in the film. Hoskins is also known for a number of commercials which he did in the 80s and the 90s. He worked for BT while his catchphrase was "It's good to talk."

Writer-director Shane Meadows, whom he collaborated with for movies like Twenty Four Seven (1997), Atom Egoyan's Felicia's Journey (1999) and A Room for Romeo Brass (2000); called Hoskins "the most generous actor" he had worked with. He told The Guardian that Hoskins took a "huge chance" when he agreed to work with him in his directorial debut. Hoskins taught him a lot about how to survive the movie business while staying true to himself, Meadows said.

The death of the veteran actor left his wife and children "devastated." Hoskins is survived by Linda, his second wife whom he had been married for 30 years, and four children named Jack, Rosa, Sarah and Alex. They said that Hoskins had died peacefully at the hospital while he was surrounded by family. The death was followed by a "bout of pneumonia," they said. The family, at the same time, asked people to respect their privacy while they thanked people for the "messages of love and support" they had sent in, The Telegraph reported.