Veteran actor Bernard Hill has died at the age of 79, his agent Lou Coulson confirmed. Hill’s passing was announced on Sunday morning, just a day after he was scheduled to appear at the Comic-Con Liverpool fan convention, where his appearance was canceled at the last minute.
Comic-Con Liverpool paid tribute to Hill, saying, “We’re heartbroken to hear the news of Bernard Hill’s passing. A great loss. Thinking of his family at this very sad time, and wishing them a lot of strength.”
We’re heartbroken to hear the news of Bernard Hill’s passing. A great loss. Thinking of his family at this very sad time, and wishing them a lot of strength. pic.twitter.com/5kdMqz7pS5
— Comic Con Liverpool (@comconliverpool) May 5, 2024
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Hill was best known for his iconic roles in James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) as Captain Edward Smith and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy (2002-2003) as King Théoden. He also appeared in Clint Eastwood’s True Crime (1999) and had a breakout role as Yosser Hughes in the BBC TV series Boys from the Blackstuff.
Throughout his illustrious career, Hill worked on numerous notable projects, including Gandhi, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Scorpion King, Valkyrie, ParaNorman, and North v South. He also lent his voice to the video game Fable III (2010).
BBC Drama director Lindsay Salt praised Hill’s contributions, 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… We feel truly honoured to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
Hill was set to return to television with a role in the second season of The Responder before his passing. He will be deeply missed by fans and colleagues alike.
