At the age of 79, actor Bernard Hill, best known for his parts in Lord of the Rings and the Titanic, passed away.
He portrayed King Théoden in the Lord of the Rings and Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 Oscar-winning picture.
In the 1982 BBC TV drama Boys from the Blackstuff, he played the character Yosser Hughes, who tried—and frequently failed—to deal with being unemployed in Liverpool. This was his breakthrough performance.
His representative Lou Coulson stated that he passed away early on Sunday morning.
Boys from the Blackstuff author Alan Bleasdale called Bernard Hill passing “a big loss and also a great surprise.”
“Every scene showcased Bernard’s incredible and captivating performance, which he gave his all to.” His name was Yosser Hughes.
“I was anxious to work with him,” he said. Everything about him, including his working process, style of operation, and performance, was better than you could have imagined.
“You thought Bernard would live eternally at all times. He was quite strong both physically and mentally.”
Releasing on Sunday, the second season of The Responder, a BBC drama starring Martin Freeman, will bring Manchester native and Suffolkian Hill back to television screens.
“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career packed with iconic and astonishing parts is a monument to his tremendous brilliance,” said Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, in a tribute to him.
Read More: Bernard Hill, best known for his parts
We are really grateful to have collaborated with Bernard at the BBC on a number of projects, including Wolf Hall, The Responder, Boys from the Blackstuff, and many more. At this difficult occasion, our thoughts are with his loved ones.”
Hill won plaudits for his realistic depiction of Yosser Hughes in Boys from the Blackstuff. Yosser Hughes was a compelling and unforgettable figure who begged for a “Gizza job” while looking for work.
The programme took up a Bafta for outstanding drama series in 1983, and the British Film Institute listed it as the eighth greatest TV programme ever in 2000.
One of Hill’s most noteworthy roles on BBC television was in the 2015 drama series Wolf Hall, which was based on Hilary Mantel’s novel about the court of Henry VIII. Hill played the Duke of Norfolk, who was Cardinal Wolsey’s adversary and Anne Boleyn’s uncle.
For his roles in Peter Jackson’s epic series The Lord of the Rings, Hill was also highly regarded.
He returned to the franchise for 2003’s The Return of the King, which won eleven Oscars, after joining the cast of the second movie, The Two Towers, released in 2002.
Throughout his lengthy career, he also starred in the following films: Shirley Valentine (1989), The Scorpion King (2002), I, Claudius (1976 BBC TV series), Gandhi (1982), and the Tom Cruise thriller Valkyrie (2008).
Hill had to abruptly postpone his scheduled appearance at Comic Con Liverpool on Saturday, the organisation said in a post on X. The organisers expressed on the platform that they were “heartbroken” by Hill’s passing and wished his family “a lot of strength” as soon as word of his passing spread.
The End: Bernard Hill.
Barbara Dickson, a Scottish singer, also gave X credit, calling him “a truly brilliant actor.”
“It was an honour to have crossed paths with him,” she continued. Benny X, rest in peace.”
