British playwright Tom Stoppard has died at the age of 88.

The Oscar-winning writer behind the 1998 classic "Shakespeare in Love" died peacefully at his home in Dorset, England, his agents confirmed in a statement Saturday, Nov. 29. No other details were shared.

"He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language. It was an honour to work with Tom and to know him," his agents said in a statement.

Born in 1937 in what is now the Czech Republic, Stoppard worked as a journalist and drama critic before rising to prominence in England through several acclaimed plays, most notably his 1966 script "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead."

The witty reimagining of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" landed him his first Tony Award for best play. He went on to win the prestigious category for a record-breaking five times, including for "Travesties" (1976), "The Real Thing" (1984), "The Coast of Utopia" (2007) and most recently for "Leopoldstadt" (2023).

Stoppard's irreplicable writing chops helped him make his way from London to Hollywood through his screenplays that were adapted onto the big screen. Movie buffs know his work from Otto Preminger’s "The Human Factor" (1979), Steven Spielberg’s "Empire of the Sun" (1987), Robert Benton‘s "Billy Bathgate" (1991) and Justin Chadwick's "Tulip Fever" (2017).

His sci-fi comedy "Brazil" (1985) landed him his first Academy Award nomination alongside cowriters Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown but it wasn't until "Shakespeare in Love" (1998) that Stoppard left with an Oscar trophy.

Unique storytelling approach led to the term 'Stoppardian'

Often drawing from historic figures or events, Stoppard loved exploring literature and philosophy through a timeless lens.

His inventive approach to conveying philosophical messages through complex irony and visual humor led to the coining of the term "Stoppardian." When attempting to explain the term in a 2010 interview with The Telegraph, the playwright admitted he doubted the existence of a "precise definition."

"To me, it means another hapless, feckless, fatuous episode in my life, brought on by my own forgetfulness or incompetence," he told the outlet.

When adapting the 1878 novel "Anna Karenina" into the 2012 movie, Stoppard said the book remained fascinating over a century later because of the examination of the contrasting husband and wife's perspectives.

"Their marriage was arranged by an aunt when Anna was only about 18, to a considerably older man. My assumption was that she'd never really known sexual ecstasy until the first time she went to bed with Vronsky," he told USA TODAY. "It goes to show you that the psychology of love and passion doesn't change. It's just the same today as it was 150 years ago."

Mick Jagger calls 'Tom Stoppard' his favorite playwright

Rock legend Mick Jagger took to social media to express guilt for who he called his "favourite playwright."

"He leaves us with a majestic body of intellectual and amusing work. I will always miss him," he wrote on X.

Publisher Faber Drama called Stoppard "one of the most brilliant and feted playwrights of the last sixty years and one of the great intellects of our time" and said he "will be missed beyond measure."

The Oliver Awards, which awarded Stoppard three times, announced West End theatres will dim their lights for two minutes on Dec. 2 to honor him.

"That recognition attests to the remarkable range and enduring impact of his work on both stage and screen. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and all whose lives he enriched," the organization wrote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Shakespeare in Love' writer Tom Stoppard dead at 88

Reporting by Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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