English actor Bernard Hill, best known for his roles in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings, died on Sunday at the age of 79.
Agent Lou Colson confirmed Hill’s death
His agent Lou Colson confirmed his death. At the time of his passing, Hill was with his kid and fiancée.
Bernard Hill’s illustrious acting career
Bernard Hill’s acting career spanned over 50 years, both on-screen and on stage. Hill’s latest role was in the BBC show.The Responder, broadcast on Sundays, where he played the lead character’s father role.
Tribute from The Lord of the Rings Trio
Actors Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, who played Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, paid tribute to their co-stars at Comic Con Liverpool.
Astin Beginning with, “We love him. He was brave, he was funny, he was angry and he was beautiful”.
Boyd recalled watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy with Monaghan and Hill. “I don’t think anyone has spoken Tolkien’s words as great as Bernard. this will break your heart. He will be remembered forever.”
Hill’s influence in The Boys of the Blackstuff
Alan Bleasdale, who wrote Boys from the Blackstuff, described Hill’s death as “a great loss and a great surprise”. “It was a mesmerizing, mesmerizing performance – Bernard gave everything, and you could see it in every scene. He became Yosser Hughes.”
Hill’s iconic role as Yosser Hughes
Hill first gained recognition in 1982 for his role as Yosser Hughes in the British TV mini-series Boys from the Blackstuff. For this role Hill was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award and He won the BAFTA for Best Drama series.
Sad coincidence
His death occurred on the same day as the second series of The Responder was to be broadcast, in which he played the father of the show’s star Martin Freeman.
Salt Tribute to Hill
BBC drama director Lindsay Salt described Bernard Hill as someone who made his mark on the screen and that his brilliant and memorable roles are testament to his incredible talent. “Our thoughts are with their loved ones at this time.”
