‘Titanic’ actor Bernard Hill dies aged 79

Hollywood actor Bernard Hill is no more. The actor, who is best known for his roles in blockbuster movies like “Titanic” and the “Lord of The Rings” trilogy, has died. He was 79.

In a career spanning over five decades, the actor has left a huge legacy behind through his memorable performances and iconic roles. Hill famously played the role of Captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic. In the Oscar-winning fantasy trilogy, Hill played the role of Theoden, Kind of Rohan.

The actor breathed his last on Sunday morning, his agent Lou Coulson confirmed to BBC. No family statement has been released yet.  Hill died just before the release of his latest project “The Responder Season 2” starring Martin Freeman.

Born in Blackley, Manchester in a Catholic family of miners, Hill graduated with a diploma in theatre in 1970. He started his acting career in the 70s with television and went on to become a well-known face in both the British film industry and Hollywood. 

In 1976, he appeared in the episode entitled The Jolly Swagmen of the series Crown Court. He went on to play key roles in several TV shows, such as Yosser Hughes in Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff and its series sequel, Duke of Norfolk in Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall.

Hill’s has appeared in movies like “The Ghost and the Darkness”, opposite Michael Douglas, “Mountains of the Moon (1990)”, “Skallagrigg (1994)” and “Madagascar Skin (1995)”, “The Scorpion King (2002)” among others. Soon after the death of the actor, tributes started pouring in.  (Agencies)