Tom Stoppard, a towering figure in modern theater and the Oscar-winning screenwriter behind Shakespeare in Love, has died at age 88, according to the BBC. The Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter was a four-time Tony Award winner, honored for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Travesties, The Real Thing, and The Coast of Utopia. He also earned an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Shakespeare in Love, cementing his reputation as a master of wit, wordplay, and intellectual drama. Stoppard fled Czechoslovakia as a child during the Nazi era, later making his mark in London and on Broadway with plays that blend philosophy, history, and inventive stagecraft. His work reshaped contemporary theater, influencing generations of writers with his nimble dialogue and daring ideas. As tributes pour in from admirers, critics highlight his enduring contributions to stage and screen, his courage to tackle big questions with humor, and his ability to translate complex ideas into accessible, entertaining drama. Stoppard's legacy lives on in the canon of English-language theater and in the studied craft of screenwriting, where his influence continues to inspire new generations of playwrights and screenwriters. For more on Tom Stoppard's life, award-winning plays, and groundbreaking screenplays, stay tuned to reliable outlets covering theater and film history.