Bernard Hill: Titanic and Lord of the Rings actor dies

Actor Bernard Hill, known for his roles in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings, has died at the age of 79.

He played Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 Oscar-winning film and King Theoden in The Lord of the Rings.

His breakthrough role was in the 1982 BBC television drama Boys from the Blackstuff, in which he played Yosser Hughes, a Liverpool man struggling to cope with unemployment and often failing.

His agent, Lou Coulson, confirmed his death early Sunday morning.

Alan Bleasdale, author of Boys from the Blackstuff, said Hill’s death was “a great loss and a great surprise”.

“It was an amazing, mesmerizing performance. Bernard gave it his all, and you can see it in every scene. He became Yosser Hughes.”

He added: “I was so excited to work with him. Everything he did, the whole work procedure, the way he worked and his performance was everything anyone could hope for.” added.

“I always felt that Bernard was going to live forever. He had great strength, both physically and in character.”

Hill from Manchester The Suffolk-based actress was due to return to TV screens in series two of the BBC drama The Responder, starring Martin Freeman, which starts airing on Sunday.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Bernard Hill has blazed a trail on screen and his long career, filled with iconic and remarkable roles, is a testament to his great talent.” I paid my respects to him.

“It has been a real honor to have worked with Bernard at the BBC, from Boys from the Blackstuff to Wolf Hall to The Responder. Our thoughts are with Bernard’s loved ones.”

In Boys from the Blackstuff, Hill won praise for his painstaking portrayal of Yosser Hughes, a strong and memorable character who begs for a job and a “giza job”.

The show won the BAFTA Award for Best Drama Series in 1983 and was ranked seventh on the British Film Institute’s list of the best television shows of all time in 2000.

Hill’s other memorable BBC TV role was in the 2015 drama series Wolf Hall, based on Hilary Mantel’s book about the court of Henry VIII. Hill played the Duke of Norfolk, Anne Boleyn’s uncle and Cardinal Wolsey’s enemy.

Hill was also much loved for her performance in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy, The Lord of the Rings.

He joined the cast in 2002’s second film, The Two Towers, and returned to the series in 2003’s The Return Of The King, which won 11 Oscars.

Other roles in his decades-long career include the 1976 BBC television series I, Claudius, Gandhi in 1982, Shirley Valentine in 1989, The Scorpion King in 2002, and Tom in 2008.・Includes appearance in Cruise’s movie “Valkyrie.”

Hill was scheduled to attend Comic-Con Liverpool on Saturday, but had to cancel at the last minute, the event said in a post on X. When news of his death broke, organizers took to the stage to mourn Hill’s death, saying they were “heartbroken.” He mourned his death and wished his family “a lot of strength.”

Scottish musician Barbara Dixon paid homage to X“He was a really great actor,” he said.

She added, “It was an honor to meet him. Rest in peace Benny X.”