Shawshank Redemption star William Sadler’s wife dies after cancer battle as he shares pic of wedding day 46 years ago
SHAWSHANK Redemption star William Sadler has announced the death of his wife Marni Joan Bakst after 46 years of marriage.
Sadler, 74, shared the news to his Facebook, alongside a heartwarming photo of him and Bakst on the morning of their wedding in 1978.
In the image, the couple are pictured in their bathrobes at a breakfast table before getting married later that day.
In the message accompanied with the photo, Sadler said Bakst tragically died on Wednesday after a two year battle with cancer.
Sadler added on Facebook: “Early yesterday morning, my wife, Marni Bakst, finally lost her two year battle with cancer.
“After what has been an amazing forty five years of marriage I don’t think I can fathom or put into words much of this yet.
“Maybe with time and a little distance I’ll find it easier to describe this extraordinary artist, feminist, wife, and mother, but for now I want to thank you all for your patience and kind words.”
Sadler and Bakst welcomed a daughter together during their marriage called Sadler Colley Bakst, 38.
Sadler previously posted the same picture in a heartwarming tribute to his wife on their anniversary last year.
He wrote alongside the photo last May: “This picture was taken the morning of our wedding, exactly forty five years ago today.
“The extraordinary looking young woman with the huge eyes is Ms. Marni Bakst. The lucky young man is me.
“All these years later I still bring her coffee, she still has those beautiful eyes, and I’m still the luckiest man on this, or any other planet. Happy Anniversary Marni!”
Bakst was with Sadler throughout his acting career – before he made his Broadway debut in Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues in 1985.
Sadler’s most famous role is playing the character Heywood in the acclaimed 1994 drama The Shawshank Redemption.
Based on the Stephen King novel, the movie starred Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman and is labelled as one of the best motion pictures ever made.
Sadler is also in movies like the 1990 Die Hard 2 and the 2013 Marvel movie Iron Man 3.
This year he could be seen in the Max horror movie dubbed ‘Salem’s Lot’ – another Stephen King adaptation.
This is to refer back to The Shawshank Redemption.