An acting legend has passed away at 79 years old. Bernard Hill was known for many roles throughout his career, including the James Cameron blockbuster Titanic. No doubt, though, that many remember his performance in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Return of the King and will continue to do so as tributes from Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and others poured in for the actor who played King Théoden.
The BBC has reported that Hill passed away on Sunday morning, and tributes to the actor have been spreading throughout the day. It just so happened that the Hobbit actors from Lord of the Rings were at Liverpool Comic Con and filled the audience in on what happened. Sean Astin kicked off the tributes with the following:
We love him. He was intrepid, he was funny, he was gruff, he was irascible, he was beautiful.
Sean Astin has stated that he was nervous going into the first Lord of the Rings movie because of the scope of what it set out to do. I’d guess having a veteran like Bernard Hill on set likely set some of those fears at ease.
Billy Boyd continued the singing of praises for Hill, talking about noticing something while watching the movies with fellow Lord of the Rings cast member Dominic Monaghan. Should readers stream his performances with a Max subscription, they may walk away with the same observation that Boyd had:
I don’t think anyone spoke Tolkien’s words as great as Bernard did. He would break my heart. He will be solely missed.
Elijah Wood, who went to great lengths to land his starring role as Frodo Baggins, took to Twitter to pay homage to Bernard Hill, writing,
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.’
When it comes to Bernard Hill, a lot of people think of Lord of the Rings as well as Titanic. Considering those movies amassed a lot of critical acclaim, box office success, and Academy Awards, that’s not surprising. With that said, Hill worked in Hollywood a long time, as actor Michael McKean honored one of his more minor roles they shared together:
I had a couple of scenes with Bernard Hill in True Crime. A gent, of course. Also funny, smart and flawless at the job. RIP, sir. pic.twitter.com/uQhQj8NUzJMay 5, 2024
Of course, there was no shortage of fan responses, with many on social media speaking to the brilliance of Bernard Hill’s best performances. This included that of the real-life human Captain Edward John Smith in Titanic, and readers would do well to rewatch his memorable turn (and can do so on streaming with a Paramount+ subscription). It always feels like a big deal when an actor passes, but when organizations like BAFTA take a moment to acknowledge it, it feels extra special:
We’re saddened to hear of the passing of Bernard Hill. Known for his work in TV and film, Bernard starred in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings. He was nominated for two BAFTAs for A Very Social Secretary and his breakout performance in Boys From The Blackstuff, which won the…May 5, 2024
Rest in peace to the actor, and hopefully his work will be appreciated for decades to come. I know I won’t forget these roles anytime soon, especially his role as King Théoden. We here at CinemaBlend extend condolences to the family and friends of Bernard Hill and wish them well during a difficult time.