Legendary British actor Sean Connery, best known for playing the fictional spy James Bond in seven movies, died on Saturday at the age of 90, his family told the BBC.

During his decades-long career, the Scottish actor, who was knighted in 2000, won numerous awards, including an Oscar, three Golden Globes, and two BAFTA awards.

Tributes immediately started pouring in for Connery, who was considered to be one of his generation's greatest movie stars.

"A message on the Twitter account for fellow Bond actor Roger Moore, who died in 2017, said" How infinitely sad to hear the news that Sir Sean Connery has passed away.

For many decades, he and Roger were friends and Roger always maintained that Sean was the best James Bond ever. RIP.

Connery claimed his 1988 Oscar for best-supporting actor for his role in "The Untouchables" as an Irish cop.

In "The Hunt for Red October," "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and "The Rock," he also starred.

But he will be best remembered for his smooth, Scottish-accented portrayal of the suave spy 007.

Connery made six official films as the creation of novelist Ian Fleming, the first actor to utter the unforgettable "Bond, James Bond," giving what many still consider as the definitive portrayal.