British film director and actor Richard Attenborough is dead after a long battle with an illness. He passed away at the age of 90.

According to BBC News, Richard Attenborough was found dead at lunchtime on Sunday as confirmed by his son. He has been staying at a nursing home for several years with his wife.

While Richard Attenborough is dead and has passed on, his legacy in the film industry continues to live on.

Attenborough was popularly known for his work as an actor for the film "Jurassic Park" and behind the camera as the director of "Gandhi," for which he won an Academy Award. He also won Golden Globes for his performance in the films "Doctor Doolittle" and "The Sand Pebbles."

Many of his colleagues and friends have offered their messages of sympathy for his bereaved family and paid their own tributes to the actor-director.

Sir Ben Kingsley, whom Attenborough worked with on "Gandhi," issued a statement, saying; "Richard Attenborough trusted me with the crucial and central task of bringing to life a dream it took him twenty years to bring to fruition. When he gave me the part of Gandhi, it was with great grace and joy. He placed me in an absolute trust and in turn, I placed an absolute trust in him and grew to love him. I, along with millions of others whom he touched through his life and work will miss him dearly."

According to Entertainment Weekly, Stephen Spielberg, who Attenborough worked with in "Jurassic Park," had also released a statement about the actor-director's passing.

"Dickie Attenborough was passionate about everything in his life - family, friends, country and career. He made a gift to the world with his emotional epic 'Gandhi' and he was the perfect ringmaster to bring the dinosaurs back to life as John Hammond in 'Jurassic Park.' He was a dear friend and I am standing in an endless line of those who completely adore him," said the statement.

Meanwhile, Sir Roger Moore took to his Twitter account to share his thoughts about Attenborough's death, writing: "Greatly saddened to hear the great Richard Attenborough has left us. Such a wonderful and talented man."

Attenborough is survived by his wife Shiela Sim, their son Michael and daughter Charlotte.