Bernard Hill, Titanic and Lord of the Rings actor, dies aged 79
Actor Bernard Hill
Hollywood actor Bernard Hill is no more. The actor, who is best known for his roles in blockbuster movies like Titanic and the Lord of The Rings trilogy, has died. He was 79.
In a career spanning over fivedecades, the actor has left a huge legacy behind through his memorable performances andiconic roles. Hill famously played the role of Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic. In the Oscar-winning fantasy trilogy, Hill played the role of Theoden, Kind of Rohan.
The actor breathed his last on Sunday morning, his agent Lou Coulson confirmed to BBC. No family statement has been released yet.
Hill died just before the release of his latest project The Responder Season 2 starring Martin Freeman.
Born in Blackley, Manchester in a Catholic family of miners, Hillgraduated with a diploma in theatre in 1970. He started his acting career in the 70s with television and went on to become a well-known face in both the British film industry and Hollywood.
In 1976, he appeared in the episode entitled The Jolly Swagmenof the series Crown Court. He went on to play key roles in several TV shows, such as Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff and its series sequel,Duke of Norfolk in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall.
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Hill’s has appeared in movies likeThe Ghost and the Darkness, opposite Michael Douglas,Mountains of the Moon(1990),Skallagrigg(1994) andMadagascar Skin(1995),The Scorpion King(2002) among others.
Soon after the death of the actor, tributes started pouring in.
Mourning Hill's death, Dickson wrote on X: ''It’s with great sadness that I note the death of Bernard Hill. We worked together in John Paul George Ringo and Bert, Willy Russell marvellous show 1974-1975. A really marvellous actor. It was a privilege to have crossed paths with him. RIP Benny x.''
Remembering his work, numerous fans paid tribute to Hill.One fan wrote, ''Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear this. He obviously had a great range beyond the character, but his portrayal of Yosser Hughes was one of the most iconic symbols of 80's Britain.''
Another wrote, ''Brilliant actor - he had to be to bring to such vivid life a character that was a living embodiment of how Thatcherism brutalised and scarred a whole city.''
