Lord of the Rings actor Bernard Hill dead at 79

Director Peter Jackson on Sunday mourned the passing of Bernard Hill, who died earlier in the morning. Hill was full of life, The Lord of the Rings director said. Hill, who was divorced, was with his fiancee and son when he passed away, according to a statement from his family provided by Rolling Stone.

What was he known for? From his multiple decades as a film actor, some of Hill’s most noted roles were Titanic captain Edward Smith in James Cameron’s 1997 film, and Théoden, King of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in the series, said he’d never forget his fellow actor, who he called “our king.” Besides his son, Gabriel, Hill is survived by a daughter, Jay. Between The Lord of the Rings and Titanic, Hill is the only actor to have appeared in two of the three films to have netted 11 Oscar awards. Ben Hur is the third film to have won as many awards.