Actor Kjell Nilsson passed away at the age of 76 in Queensland, Australia, on July 2, 2026.
Nilsson was known for his villainous role of The Lord Humungus in the 1981 film Mad Max 2.
He had been battling end-stage kidney disease since 2022 and made the conscious decision to stop dialysis treatment days before his death.
Kjell Nilsson, the Swedish bodybuilder and actor best known for playing Lord Humungus in George Miller’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1982), passed away on Thursday (July 2) after four years of kidney complications. He was 76. Nilsson passed away peacefully in his sleep with his sons by his side in Queensland, Australia.
Kjell Nilsson death
His representative, Chris Carbaugh, confirmed the news to TMZ, and his family shared his passing in a Facebook post.
The actor was a "wonderful person" who motivated people as a weight training coach, Carbaugh said. He added that Nilsson "embraced" his Mad Max character and cherished his fans.
Family statement on Kjell Nilsson's demise
Nilsson's family said that he "had eeen battling end-stage kidney disease for the past four and a half years, receiving dialysis three days a week."
"This past Sunday, after much consideration, Kjell made the decision to take back control over his pain and his body by stopping dialysis," his family said, adding that the "days leading up to his passing were filled with joy, gratitude, peace, and acceptance."
His family revealed he survived renal failure in 2022. He also faced leg blood clots that stripped away his mobility. He overcame this to walk again through "relentless weight training, determination, and sheer force of will."
"That mindset didn't just overcome the impossible, it gave Kjell more than four decades of life that he might otherwise never have had," his family stated further, adding that it allowed him to continue raising his five sons, "whom he loved beyond words, and who loved him just as deeply."
"In his final days, Kjell spoke often of how grateful he was for his bodybuilding and coaching career... and for the opportunity to inspire and connect with people around the world through his iconic role as The Lord Humungus," his family wrote. "That legacy will never die," they added.
The same year he married Australian actress Kate Ferguson in Sweden.
Nilsson made his debut in The Pirate Movie (1982) before playing The Humungus in Mad Max 2.
Man of Letters (1984), Hard Knuckle (1988) and The Edge of Power (1989) are some of his notable works.
Nilsson's last appearance was in the 2023 film Howlin Refrain.
