Bernard Hill, known for Titanic and The Lord of the Rings, dies at 79 : NPR

Bernard Hill arrives on the purple carpet at a Leicester Sq. cinema for the Royal Efficiency of The Hobbit: An Surprising Journey on Dec. 12, 2012.

Joel Ryan/Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

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Joel Ryan/Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

Bernard Hill arrives on the purple carpet at a Leicester Sq. cinema for the Royal Efficiency of The Hobbit: An Surprising Journey on Dec. 12, 2012.

Joel Ryan/Joel Ryan/Invision/AP

English actor Bernard Hill, finest identified for roles in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings, died on Sunday. He was 79.

Hill’s agent, Lou Coulson, confirmed his dying to NPR. Coulson stated Hill was together with his fiance and son on the time.

Hill’s performing profession spanned over 50 years each onscreen and on-stage. His newest function aired Sunday as the principle character’s father within the BBC present The Responder.

Lindsay Salt, the director of BBC drama, described Hill as a one-of-a-kind actor.

“His long-lasting profession full of iconic and memorable roles is a testomony to his unimaginable expertise,” Salt stated in a press release.

One in every of Hill’s most memorable performances was within the 1997 Oscar-winning movie Titanic. Enjoying Captain Edward John Smith, Hill showcased a chilling mixture of shock and guilt as water gushed into the ship’s wheelhouse.

In The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Hill confirmed his versatility as King Théoden of Rohan. In a single scene, Hill’s character is weak and decrepit. In one other, he’s main a cavalry cost with the long-lasting phrases “Come up! Come up! Riders of Théoden!”

Hill, a local of Manchester, England, was additionally praised for his function as Yosser Hughes in Boys from the Blackstuff, a British present a couple of group of males navigating Liverpool throughout a time of excessive unemployment and a struggling financial system.

Over the many years, Hill obtained a number of nominations and awards for his performances, together with an award from the Display screen Actors Guild for his function in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.