The legendary veteran actor whose rich career is a main case for envy for a lot of his colleagues, Sir John Hurt, has been diagnosed with cancer. Although the news is troubling indeed, the famed actor says he is “more than optimistic” about his future. The 75-years old star released a statement on June 16th, in which he addressed his illness and his plans for the future.

In the mentioned statement, Hurt said that he had “always been open about the way he conducts his life,” and in that spirit he revealed that he has recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Sir John furthered his explanation by saying that he is undergoing treatment and that he is “more than optimistic about a satisfactory outcome.” He also stated that the medical team that is treating him feels and thinks the same way of the sad situation.

The 75-year-old star then discussed his future career plans, stating that he will be recording Jeffrey Bernard Is Unwell for BBC 4, adding that the gig is just “one of life’s small ironies.”

The acknowledged actor had a bunch of notable roles in many films, all equally legendary as he is. During his amazing career, Hurt played Quentin Crisp in The Naked Civil Servant, the main role in The Elephant Man, Mr. Ollivander in two of seven Harry Potter movies, and the War Doctor in the special 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who.

In the past few months, Sir John has been filming The History Of Love and the new Tarzan.