Veteran actor Michael Nyqvist, who was best known for his role in the film adaptation of Stieg Larsson's “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and its sequels, which formed the Millennium Trilogy, died Tuesday at the age of 56, his family said in a statement.

The Swedish actor died after a year-long struggle with lung cancer, according to DN.kultur, which also confirmed his death on June 27.

“On behalf of Michael Nyqvist’s representatives and family, it is with deep sadness that I confirm our beloved Michael, one of Sweden’s most respected and accomplished actors, passed away quietly surrounded by family after a year-long battle with lung cancer,” a representative for Nyqvist said, according to Variety.com.

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The Swedish actor’s original name was Rolf Ake Mikael Nyqvist and was born in Stockholm, on Nov. 8, 1960. He was adopted by a lawyer-writer couple, according to IMDB. Nyqvist gradually tracked down his birth parents later in his life and they were said to be of Swedish and Italian origin.

Nyqvist's love of the arts was “felt by all who had the pleasure of working with him,” the family said in the statement.

“Michael's joy and passion were infectious to those who knew and loved him. His charm and charisma were undeniable,” his family added. They also said Nyqvist had left a “huge void behind him,” according to a local media report.

The Swedish actor was famous among international audiences for his role in “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” movie and its sequels. “In 2008, it was announced that Nyqvist was chosen to star as Mikael Blomkvist of the literary phenomenon, the Millennium Trilogy written by Stieg Larsson,” reported IMDB. In a later version of the film in the U.S., his role was performed by “James Bond” actor Daniel Craig.

The veteran began his training at the Malmö Theatre Academy in Sweden and according to IMDB, his first breakthrough in European cinema occurred when he played “Rolf, an alcoholic and abusive husband, in a film by Lucas Moodysson called ‘Together.’ This role landed him his first Guldbagge nomination (Best Supporting Actor) and won him the Best Actor award at the Gijón International Film Festival.”

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He starred as an investigative reporter in “The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo” along with Noomi Rapace, who played the role of a computer hacker. Nyqvist described a near-death experience during the filming of the movie “John Wick” in New York in 2014. He was said to have injured his head severely in an accident and it required eight stitches.

Later in his career, Nyqvist appeared in a number of Hollywood blockbuster films, including “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol,” where he played the villain alongside Tom Cruise and also starred as a character named Viggo Tarasov in “John Wick” alongside with Keanu Reeves. He also starred in the 2015 film “Colonia,” opposite Daniel Bruhl and Emma Watson.

Nyqvist was also a writer and wrote an acclaimed memoir, “Just After Dreaming,” which was published in 2010. His memoir spoke about his childhood memories, after he was adopted and how he eventually found out about his birth parents. Nyqvist is survived by his wife, Catharina Ehrnrooth, and two children, Ellen and Arthur, according to the New York Times.

His fans expressed condolences to the actor’s family and lamented the loss to the industry.

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