The actor who played Jedi master Saesee Tiin in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace has died aged just 42.

Khan Bonfils, who portrayed a henchman in James Bond film Skyfall, collapsed rehearsing Craft Theatre’s adaptation of Dante’s Inferno at The Rag Factory on January 5.

Company members attempted to save him - with director Rocky Rodriguez Jr attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) sent a motorcycle responder, two ambulance crews and an advanced paramedic to the scene after receiving word at 6:30pm.

“We treated a man who was in cardiac arrest,” an LAS spokeswoman said. “He was taken as a priority to the Royal London Hospital.”

But he could not be resuscitated, to the sadness of his colleagues.

“His sudden loss is a tragedy and he will be sorely missed,” a statement from Craft Theatre said.

“The entire company are in shock,” added spokesman Chris Hislop. “There is absolutely severe sadness - it’s a real tragedy.”

A cause of death is yet to be established.

Ryan Prescott, a close friend of Khan’s, will be stepping in to take over the role.

Writing on Craft’s website, Rocky Rodriguez Jr said they need to finish the journey Khan was on.

Khan’s on-screen career saw him act alongside Michael Caine as Baz in 1998’s heist film Shadow Run.

More recently, he played Isagura in Tomorrow Never Dies, Creepy in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and a League of Shadows warrior in Batman Begins.

He trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and had a brief modelling career with Michiko Kochino, Hermes and Oswald Boateng before his screen success.

The martial arts enthusiast was also a passionate practitioner of Wing Chun Kung Fu.