John Malkovich and Julian Sands were two of the most beloved actors of their era. The pair first met on the set of The Killing Fields in 1983, and their friendship grew from there. Now, Malkovich is speaking out about their 40-year friendship and Sands’ recent disappearance in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Malkovich recently spoke to the Guardian about his beloved friend and what he believes may have happened to him. Malkovich believes that the winter storms in the area may have contributed to Sands making an “irreversible” mistake while on a solo hike.
“I haven’t really talked about what happened with Jules,” Malkovich said. “But, in a way, it’s a choice, because he was an inveterate mountain climber/hiker. He was always tramping off to Kilimanjaro, or Antartica, or the Andes, or the Alps — a very experienced climber who’d been through very hairy experiences.”
The actors frequently co-starred together, most recently in Seneca – On the Creation of Earthquakes, which just premiered at the Berlinale film festival. Malkovich was also the godfather to Sands’ son from his first marriage.
Malkovich went on to say that he and Sands could discuss anything, and that Sands had a passion for outdoor adventures, including solo hikes.
“I know his ex-wife, Sarah terribly well and their son, Henry, is my godson. And I introduced Jules to [second wife] Evgenia, who’s an old, old friend. I know their daughters well,” Malkovich said.
The Oscar-nominated actor is now thinking about his own final days. “I’ll be 70 in December,” he said. “Do I have a day, a month, a year, 10 years? No idea. Time seems even more capricious than when I had my own children. You miss so much; it goes so fast.”
In a 2018 Guardian article, Malkovich called his pal a \”physical entity of a physical force\” and \”Tarzan.\” It was also revealed that after Sands and his first wife split up, the British actor moved in with Malkovich, who served as his godson Henry’s nanny for about six weeks.
Now, as the search for Sands continues, Malkovich reflects on the great loss that his friend’s disappearance has caused.
“He was such a terrific storyteller, Jules, and so, so funny,” Malkovich noted. “Since the day we met, I could talk to him about anything, and he could talk to me about anything … But that’s the thing — you can’t do anything about it. Could I have envisaged Jules at 80? … I don’t know.”
John Malkovich and Julian Sands were an unforgettable pair, and their friendship was an inspiration to all. As the search for Sands continues, we can only hope for a safe return.
