Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, and others from the Lord of the Rings cast remember Bernard Hill at Comic-Con

The Lord of the Rings actor Bernard Hill passed away in the early hours of Sunday, May 5, 2024, at age 79. On the same day, his co-stars Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan, who played the hobbits in Peter Jackson’s films, honored him for his role.

Hill played the role of King Théoden in the franchise. Remembering the cast member, Astin told fans at a Comic Con event in Liverpool on the same day of his passing,

"So we lost a member of our family this morning, Bernard Hill passed, King Théoden. So we want to take a moment before we walk off the stage to honor him. We love him. He was intrepid, he was funny, he was gruff, he was irascible, he was beautiful."

Bernard's death was announced in a family statement sent by a representative of Lou Coulson Associates, a British talent agency. No details about the cause of death have been announced as of now.

The Lord of the Rings cast pays tribute to costar Bernard Hill after his death

Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan attended an event at Comic Con Liverpool on Sunday where they paid tribute to co-star Bernard Hill, who passed away on the same day. Hill gained a lot of popularity playing roles in three hugely successful Hollywood movies: Titanic and two films in the Lord of the Rings franchise.

Bernard Hill was born on December 17, 1944, in Blackley, a small town outside Manchester, England. He portrayed King Théoden in 2002's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, helping lead the movie's heroes to victory during the battle at Helm’s Deep. He then charged in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003. In Titanic, he played the sinking ship's leader, Captain Smith.

Billy Boyd, the actor who played Pippin in the fantasy franchise, said,

“We were watching the movies and talking about it. And I said [to the others], ‘I don’t think anyone spoke Tolkien’s words as great as Bernard did.’ The way he grounded those words in realism. He would break my heart. He was a wonderful man and he’ll be sorely missed."

Bernard Hill was praised by critics for his work in serious TV dramas, small-budget films, and theater. With Titanic and LOTR, he became the first actor to star in two films with a combined gross of more than $1 billion. The 79-year-old was also the only actor to appear in two of the three films to win 11 Oscars. The third film to achieve the accolade was Ben-Hur.

Dominic Monaghan, who played Merry Brandybuck in the fantasy franchise, also paid tribute to Bernard Hill on Instagram.

"The Broken King has passed to the grey havens but he will always be remembered. #ripbernard"

Elijah Wood, who played the lead role of Frodo Baggins in LOTR, also posted a tribute on X, formerly Twitter, saying,

"We will never forget you. 'For he was a gentle heart and a great king and kept his oaths; and he rose out of the shadows to a last fair morning.'"

Bernard Hill is also known for his role in 2002's The Scorpion King with Dwayne Johnson. Most recently, he was also featured in five episodes of the BBC series The Responder in 2024.

The actor is survived by his son Gabriel and fiancée Alison, according to the family statement.

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