R.I.P. Bernard Hill: ‘Titanic’ And ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Actor Dead At 79

By Radhamely De Leon
Published May 6, 2024, 10:18 a.m. ET

Where to Stream:

Titanic (1997)

Powered by Reelgood

More On:

celebrity deaths

English actor Bernard Hill, best known for his roles in Titanic and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has died at the age of 79.

Hill’s death was confirmed to Variety by his agent, Lou Colson. The cause of death is unknown.

The actor is best known for his memorable performance as Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s Titanic, which earned 11 Oscars and $1.8 billion at the box office during its 1997 premiere. He also played King Théoden in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Return of the King, which also won 11 Academy Awards. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Hill has starred in two of the three films with the most Oscar awards of all time.

Born in 1944 in Lancashire, England, Hill first broke into acting in 1974 with a slate of television appearances in series such as Village Hall and Crown Court.

His first breakout role came in 1982 for playing Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale’s miniseries Boys from the Blackstuff, based on the 1980 TV movie that he also starred in.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS- TWO TOWERS, Bernard Hill, Viggo Mortensen
Photo: New Line/courtesy Everett Collection

Hill’s career in film and television continued for decades up until his death. He starred in Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Scorpion King, and more.

The actor recently starred alongside Martin Freeman in the BBC One drama The Responder, with new episodes set to air this weekend.

Director Lindsay Salt penned a tribute to the actor after his death, writing, “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,” per THR.

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood also shared a touching message to his former co-star and friend. “So long to our friend, our king, Bernard Hill. We will never forget you. ‘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,'” he wrote on X.

During an appearance Sunday (May 5) at Comic Con Liverpool, Wood and his fellow Lord of the Rings co-stars Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan remembered the late actor, who had been slated to join them at the event.

“We love him. He was intrepid, he was funny, he was gruff, he was irascible, he was beautiful,” Astin said.

Hill is survived by his fianceé Alison and his son Gabriel, who were by his side when he passed away.