Academy Award-Winning Writer for 'The King's Speech' David Seidler Dies at 86

David Seidler, best known for his Oscar-winning writing on 'The King's Speech,' has died at 86.

The London-born screenwriter, who had suffered from a stammer as a child, was inspired to write about how King George VI overcame his speech impairment with a speech and language therapist.

Seidler Passes Away at 86

According to his manager, Jeff Aghassi, the British writer passed away on Saturday while fly-fishing in New Zealand, as reported by US outlets.

Aghassi said that Seidler was in the place he loved most in the world, New Zealand, and doing what gave him the greatest peace was fly fishing. He added that it is exactly as he would have scripted it if given the chance.

He claimed that 'The King's Speech' on the West End stage has been translated into more than half a dozen languages, including Spanish, Italian, and Japanese.

It has been shown on four continents, but the COVID-19 pandemic only prevented it from reaching Broadway in 2020.

"David focused on the lessons of life, love, loss, and rebirth," Aghassi added.

According to Aghassi, Seidler continued to be passionate about screenwriting and had several documentaries, limited series, and feature films in progress at the time of his passing.

Seidler is survived by his children, Marc and Maya.

Seidler's Best Projects of All Time

Seidler won the Oscar and Bafta awards for Best Original Screenplay for the 2010 historical drama, which starred Colin Firth. For his portrayal of the king, Firth won the Best Actor Bafta and Oscar. The project also received the Best Picture Oscar and the Bafta for Best and Outstanding British Films.

He was also behind the 2012 West End premiere of the film's stage adaptation. He dedicated his 2011 Oscar to all the stutterers worldwide and thanked the Queen for not putting him in the Tower for using the F word.

Throughout his career, he contributed to various productions, such as the animated children's musicals 'Madeline: Lost in Paris,' 'Quest for Camelot,' and 'The King and I.'

The British writer was awarded his first Writers' Guild award for his 1988 biography Onassis: The Richest Man in the World, which starred Raul Julia as Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis. In 1988, he co-wrote the comedy-drama Tucker: The Man and His Dream, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

However, his famous contribution was 'The King's Speech.' In the years preceding World War II, the story recounts how King George VI overcame his terrible stutter and formed an unexpected friendship with speech therapist Lionel Logue.

Logue assisted the king in getting ready for his first radio address during World War II following his brother's 1936 abdication.

In February 2011, Seidler won two Bafta awards and a Humanitas Prize in September.