Journalist and friend Andrew Richardson said Postlethwaite, had died peacefully at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital in Shropshire after a lengthy illness. 

Pete Postlethwaite, was made an OBE in 2004 and lived at Minton near Church Stretton and Bishops Castle in Shropshire. He lived there with his wife Jackie, a former BBC producer. They have two children, both of whom were born in Shropshire, William John aged 21 and 14-year-old daughter Lily Kathleen.

The Warrington-born actor was once described by Steven Spielberg as “the best actor in the world”. In 1994, he was nominated for an Oscar for In The Name of the Father. 

One of his most recent appearances was in Inception, last year’s hit science-fiction film.

The 64-year-old was also star of Hollywood blockbusters Jurassic Park, and The Usual Suspects. Other hits include British classic Brassed Off and Spielberg epic Amistad.

In recent years Postlethwaite became known for his political activism. He starred in the climate change film The Age of Stupid, arriving at the London premiere on a bicycle in 2009.

He had continued to work until recently despite receiving treatment for cancer, which he was first diagnosed with in 1990.