Photo: Disclosure/20th Century Studios / Pipoca Moderna
English actor Bernard Hill, known for playing Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s “Titanic” and King Théoden in “The Lord of the Rings”, has passed away at the age of 79. The announcement was made by the actor’s family this Sunday morning (5/5). The cause of death was not disclosed. His fiancée, Alison, and son, Gabriel, were by his side at the time of his death.
Illustrious career
Hill first won over audiences in 1983 as Yosser Hughes in the BBC miniseries “Boys From the Blackstuff.” His role as an unemployed man struggling to survive in Liverpool became iconic, especially for his catchphrase “gizza job” (give me a job), and helped the series win a BAFTA for Best Drama.
In addition to his notable appearance in “Titanic” (1997), as the ship’s captain, in a cast that helped the maritime disaster film receive 11 Oscars, Hill had a prolific career in film and television. Among his notable works are his participation in “I, Cláudio” (1976), “Gandhi” (1982), “True Crimes” (1999), directed by Clint Eastwood, and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1999). He also acted in “The Scorpion King” (2002) and in the film “Valkyrie” (2008), with Tom Cruise.
Lasting legacy
In 2002, Hill joined Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” franchise as King Théoden, appearing in the second and third films of the trilogy – the last, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”, was also awarded with 11 Oscars. As a result, Hill was present in two of the three films that received the most Oscars in the history of cinema.
In 2015, he played the Duke of Norfolk in the critically acclaimed BBC series “Wolf Hall”, which won several BAFTAs and a Golden Globe. And, more recently, he starred alongside Martin Freeman in the crime drama “The Responder”, which premiered its 2nd season on the British channel BBC One this Sunday.
