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‘Air Force One’ Director Wolfgang Petersen Dead At 81

By Oreoritse Tariemi

17 August 2022   |   10:48 am

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Academy Award-nominated director Wolfgang Petersen who rose to prominence for his German-language film “Das Boot” has passed away aged 81. Spokesperson for the Petersen family, Michelle Bega, told The Post that Petersen died of pancreatic cancer in the arms of his wife of nearly 50 years, Maria-Antoinette, on Friday at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.…

Wolfgang Petersen PHOTO- FRANZISKA KRUG:GETTY

Academy Award-nominated director Wolfgang Petersen who rose to prominence for his German-language film “Das Boot” has passed away aged 81.

Spokesperson for the Petersen family, Michelle Bega, told The Post that Petersen died of pancreatic cancer in the arms of his wife of nearly 50 years, Maria-Antoinette, on Friday at his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.

Born in Emden, Germany, Petersen began his directing career in the 1960s and rose to limelight in 1981 with “Das Boot,” a film cenetered around World War II which earned six Oscar nominations in total, two of which went to Petersen for directing and screenwriting.

Petersen during his time made several other action-thrillers including “Enemy Mine,” “Shattered,” “Outbreak,” “Poseidon” and “Troy,.” He also directed big-name stars such as Clint Eastwood in 1993’s “In the Line of Fire,” Harrison Ford in “Air Force One” (1997) and George Clooney in 2000’s “The Perfect Storm.” Petersen also worked with other A-list stars including Brad Pitt, Rene Russo, Glenn Close, Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman.

Petersen is survived by his  wife, son, Daniel, and two grandchildren.