British actor David Nicholls, who appeared in such movies as Gangs of New York and Gladiator, has died of mesothelioma, which he developed after exposure to asbestos while he was a teenager.

According to an article in Armley Today, the newspaper for the town where Nicholls resided with his family, the actor, who died at age 58, left school at age 15 and went to work in a local factory. At the plant, it is believed he came into contact with asbestos lagging that was used to insulate pipes throughout the factory.

After working at the factory, Nicholls – who also starred in a number of British television and movie productions – joined the army and then became a police officer after he was discharged from the military. He left police work to pursue an acting career in the 1980s.

“More than 40 years after his teenage contact with asbestos he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an incurable cancer of the lining of the lung caused by the deadly mineral,” the article states. Mr. Nicholls was diagnosed with the aggressive cancer in May last year and died in late June, about 13 months later. Most meso victims die within about a year of diagnosis.

The article notes that after his diagnosis, Nicholls rallied for support for more funds for research into the disease. The British Isles has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world. At his funeral, funds were raised for the Ridings Asbestos Support Group and Wheatfields Hospice.

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