British actor Bernard Hill, known for Titanic and Lord of the Rings, dies at 79

Bernard Hill, a prominent British actor, passed away at the age of 79 on Sunday. The news of his demise was confirmed by a statement from Lou Coulson Associates, a British talent agency representing the late actor. The statement did not disclose the location or cause of his death.

Throughout his career, Hill received critical acclaim for his performances in a variety of mediums including serious TV dramas, indie films, and theater. However, he gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the ship’s captain in the blockbuster "Titanic" (1997) and the ruler of a horsemen’s kingdom in the sequels of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, "The Two Towers" (2002) and "The Return of the King" (2003).

Record-Breaking Success

Notably, Hill achieved a significant milestone by being the first actor to appear in more than one film that grossed over $1 billion. Furthermore, he is the sole actor to have starred in two of the three movies to clinch a record 11 Oscars, as reported by The Manchester Evening News in 2022. The other film achieving this feat is “Ben-Hur”.