Bernard Hill, the British actor known for his commanding roles as Captain Edward Smith in Titanic and King Théoden in The Lord of the Rings series, has died at 79.
Hill’s passing was confirmed by his family; a cause of death was not given.
“It is with the greatest sadness that we must announce that Bernard Hill, renowned actor known for his roles in ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ passed away in the early hours of this morning at the age of 79,” the actor’s family said in a statement on Sunday, per CNN. “He was with his fiancée Alison and his son Gabriel.”
Hill was born in Manchester, England on December 17, 1944. According to Deadline, he was born into a family of coal miners. After graduating Manchester School of Theatre in 1970, he began working in film and TV; early minor roles include the miniseries I, Claudius and the Oscar-winning film Gandhi.
His breakout role was the 1982 BBC series Boys from the Blackstuff, in which he played Yosser Hughes, a single father whose life falls apart due to unemployment.
The series was an acclaimed success: the British Film Institute calls it “TV’s most complete dramatic response to the Thatcher era and as a lament to the end of a male, working class British culture.”
Hill continued to have success in TV, film, and theater. While his resume includes many smaller dramas, he is best known to audiences today for starring in some of the most successful movies ever made.
He co-starred in James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, playing the doomed ocean liner’s captain Edward J. Smith. Some of the film’s most emotional moments involve the reserved captain’s looks of horror as he learns the ship is sinking, before ultimately taking the helm to go down with the ship.
The film was a massive success, becoming the first movie to gross over a billion dollars and won a record-tying 11 Academy Awards.
He was also known for playing Théoden, the King of Rohan in the final two parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. At first Théoden is weak and under the manipulation of his royal advisor, but soon rouses to become an important ally, leading his army in the series’ climactic battle.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tied Titanic‘s Oscar win record (they also share the record with Ben-Hur), making Hill the only actor who has starred in two films that won 11 Oscars. He was the first actor to ever appear in more than one billion-dollar-grossing film.
Hill appeared in other Hollywood films, including The Rock vehicle The Scorpion King and Clint Eastwood’s True Crime. But he never strayed far from his roots, and appeared in many BBC productions throughout his career, including Wolf Hall, A Very Social Secretary and The Responder.
After his passing, the BBC released a statement paying tribute to Hill.
“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent,” wrote Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama. “From Boys from the Blackstuff, to Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more, we feel truly honoured to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
Hill was also honored by many of his colleagues, including his Lord of the Rings co-stars Elijah Wood and Dominic Monaghan.
“So long to our friend, our king, Bernard Hill. We will never forget you,” Wood wrote, along with a quote from Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: “For he was a gentle heart and a great king and kept his oaths; and he rose out of the shadows to a last fair morning.”
“The Broken king has passed to the grey havens but he will always be remembered,” Monaghan wrote on Instagram.
Rest in peace to the great Bernard Hill, who lent his talents to so many beloved movies and shows.
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