Written by: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor
The death of actor Bernard Hill was announced on May 5, 2024 by a representative of Lou Coulson Associates, the British talent agency of which Hill was a member. The agency’s statement did not include or mention his cause of death since Hill led a private life, despite his roles in major blockbusters. He was 79 years old.
Hill was a well-known actor in British television, specifically on the British Broadcasting Channel, BBC, but his biggest roles were that of King Theoden in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and Captain Edward Smith in “Titanic.”
Hill is considered a movie icon by many. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and “Titanic” earned one billion dollars at the global box office: Hill was the first person to be in two movies that achieved these numbers. “The Return of the King” and “Titanic” both won 11 Oscars, which means Hill starred in two out of the three movies ever to achieve such success — the 1959 film “Ben-Hur” is the third.
Former co-stars of Hill’s took to social media to share their grief for the loss of the actor.
“So long to our friend, our king, Bernard Hill. We will never forget you,” actor Elijah Wood posted to X, previously Twitter. Wood then quoted “The Return of the King:” “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.”
Karl Urban also shared his grief for Hill on Instagram, “To the King. Rest in peace, Bernard.”
Urban and Wood starred in “The Lord of the Rings” alongside Hill, Urban playing Eomer, the nephew of King Theoden, and Wood playing Frodo Baggins, the trilogy’s main protagonist. Hill’s Titanic co-stars did not comment on the actor’s passing.
Hill worked for years in British theater and television. Those close to him said he would often claim his role as Yosser Hughes, from the 1980 movie “The Black Stuff,” as the role that changed his life. He would go on to reprise this role in a miniseries, “Boys from the Blackstuff.”
Hill was set to reprise his role in the BBC drama “The Responder,” starring alongside Martin Freeman, another actor in the Middle-Earth Cinematic Universe — Freeman played Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit” trilogy.
“I don’t think anyone spoke Tolkien’s words as great as Bernard did,” said actor Billy Boyd, who played Peregrin “Pippin” Took in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy. “He will be sorely missed.”
Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu
