Current:Home > reviewsActor Bernard Hill, of ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ has died at 79 -Wealth Pursuit Network
Actor Bernard Hill, of ‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings,’ has died at 79
View
Date:2025-04-13 19:57:36
LONDON (AP) — Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and went down with the ship as the captain in “Titanic,” has died.
Hill, 79, passed away Sunday morning, agent Lou Coulson said.
Hill joined “The Lord Of The Rings” franchise in the second film of the trilogy, 2002’s “The Two Towers,” as Théoden, King of Rohan. The following year, he reprised the role in “Return of the King,” a movie that won 11 Oscars.
In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Hill’s character fires up his overmatched forces by delivering a battle cry on horseback that sends his troops thundering downhill toward the enemy and his own imminent death.
“Arise, arise, riders of Théoden!” Hill hollers. “Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death!”
In “Titanic,” Hill played Captain Edward Smith, one of the only characters based on a real person in the 1997 tragic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film also won 11 Academy Awards.
As the doomed ship takes on water, Hill’s character silently retreats to the wheelhouse. As the cabin groans under the pressure of the waves, he takes a final breath and grabs the wheel as water bursts through the windows.
Hill first made a name for himself as Yosser Hughes in “Boys From the Blackstuff,” a 1982 British TV miniseries about five unemployed men.
He was nominated for an award in 1983 from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for the role, and the show won the BAFTA for best drama series.
His death came the same day the second series of the BBC drama “The Responder” was to air, in which he played the father of the show’s star, Martin Freeman.
“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, said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama. “Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
veryGood! (7682)
Related
- Former longtime South Carolina congressman John Spratt dies at 82
- Watch Kim Kardashian Kiss—and Slap—Emma Roberts in Head-Spinning American Horror Story Trailer
- Unticketed passenger removed from Delta flight in Salt Lake City, police say
- Grambling State coach Donte' Jackson ready to throw 'whatever' at Zach Edey, Purdue
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- 'Real Housewives of Potomac' star Karen Huger involved in car crash after allegedly speeding
- Shop Like a Frugal Billionaire in Amazon Outlet's Big Spring Sale Section, With Savings Up to 68% Off
- Hands off TikTok: Biden has shown us why government and social media shouldn't mix
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- The Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady. Here's the impact on your money.
Ranking
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Drake Bell Responds to Backlash Over Costar Josh Peck's Silence on Quiet on Set Docuseries
- A Tennessee fisherman reeled in a big one. It turned out to be an alligator
- Fate of Texas immigration law SB4 allowing for deportation now in 5th Circuit court's hands
- The Louvre will be renovated and the 'Mona Lisa' will have her own room
- 'Real Housewives of Potomac' star Karen Huger involved in car crash after allegedly speeding
- NY state asks court not to let Trump forgo $454M bond during fraud case appeal
- Washington Gov. Inslee signs fentanyl bill sending money to disproportionately affected tribes
Recommendation
NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
Kate's photo of Queen Elizabeth II with her grandkids flagged by Getty news agency as enhanced at source
These Zodiac Signs Will Feel the First Lunar Eclipse of 2024 the Most
'Real Housewives of Potomac' star Karen Huger involved in car crash after allegedly speeding
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
'Little rascals,' a trio of boys, charged in connection to Texas bank robbery, feds says
Courtney B. Vance Sums Up Secret to Angela Bassett Marriage in 2 Words
Next Mega Millions drawing features jackpot of nearly $1 billion: Here's what to know