Actor Bernard Hill, famous for his performances in the well-known films Titanic and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has passed away at the age of 79. His agent Lou Coulson confirmed the news to the BBC, however, the cause of his death has not been revealed. Hill played Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s Oscar-winning epic, Titanic, and Théoden, King of Rohan, in Peter Jackson’s second and third installments of The Lord of the Rings series in 2002 and 2003.
Hill was born on December 17, 1944, in Manchester, and began his career with a role in Boys From The Blackstuff, a critically acclaimed 1982 miniseries directed by Alan Bleasdale. The iconic actor appeared in other productions such as I, Claudius, Gandhi, Wolf Hall, and Valkyrie. Hill was set to appear in the second season of The Responder, a BBC police drama, which was scheduled to air on Sunday. In the show, he plays Tom, the father of Chris Carson, played by Martin Freeman.
The director of BBC Drama, Lindsay Salt paid tribute to Hill, saying “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.” Furthermore, she added that “From Boys from the Blackstuff, to Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more, we feel truly honored to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.” Numerous tributes to the actor appeared on social media sites with stars such as Barbara Dickson, Nick Bell, and Michael McKean sharing condolences for Hill.
Bernard Hill missed his appearance at the ComicCon in Liverpool on Saturday, and the convention organizers stated that he canceled at the last minute. No further details have been given out. Hill rose to prominence and warmed his way into the hearts of many fans around the world, becoming a beloved actor who received numerous accolades for his acting prowess throughout his career. Hill may have passed away, but his impact on the film and television industry will never be forgotten
Read the full article on NME here: Read More