The loss has occurred at the age of 79 of Bernard Hill, who was most known for his appearances in the films Titanic and The Lord of the Rings saga.
Hill passed away on Sunday, May 5, according to Lou Coulson, the agent for the British actor, who confirmed the news to the BBC. He did not disclose the reason for his loss.
According to a family statement that CNN was able to get, Hill, who was well recognized for his performance as Titanic Captain Edward Smith in the blockbuster film directed by James Cameron in 1997, is survived by his son Gabriel and his fiancée Alison.
Dominic Monaghan, who played the role of Lord of the Rings, paid a short homage to Hill on Instagram, where he also shared a picture of the actor who had passed away. “The Broken king has passed to the grey havens but he will always be remembered,” Monaghan wrote in his journal.
There was no quick response from Hill’s agency to the request for comment that was made by PEOPLE.
Hill’s career extended more than half a century, beginning in 1944 in Manchester, England, where he was born. In addition to Titanic, he took on the role of King Théoden of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings, played the role of Philos in The Scorpion King in 2002, and starred in the BBC drama Boys from the Blackstuff in 1982.
In addition, he had an appearance in the British television series The Responder, in which he portrayed the role of Chris Carson’s father, who was played by Martin Freeman.
“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,” said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, in a statement. “Bernard Hill’s career has been filled with roles that have become iconic and remarkable.”
We are really grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Bernard at the BBC on a variety of projects, including Boys from the Blackstuff, Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more. Salt continued by saying, “During this difficult time, our thoughts are with his loved ones.”
Over the course of his career in cinema and television, Hill was nominated for and won a number of honors. One of these prizes was a Screen Actors Guild Award, which was presented to the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which was released in 2003.
His fellow cast members from Lord of the Rings were scheduled to make an appearance at Liverpool Comic Con over the weekend. It was stated on Friday, May 3, via X (which was then known as Twitter) that he had withdrawn from the convention owing to the fact that his partner was experiencing “very ill.” He also sent to his supporters “his sincere apologies and thanks you all for your time and understanding.”
After some time had passed, the conference made the announcement of Hill’s passing on social media, describing it as “a great loss.”
Barbara Dickson, a musician, also shared the news with her followers on X and recalled Hill as a “really marvelous actor.” Dickson said that she had collaborated with Hill on the musical John, Paul, George, Ringo… and Bert, which was performed in the 1970s.
In his letter, Dickson said, “It was a privilege to have crossed paths with him,” and he added, “RIP Benny x.”
