Who was Pete Smith? 'Lord of the Rings' actor dies aged 63

Lord of the Rings actor Pete Smith passed away at the age of 63 on Saturday, January 29. As per local publications, the New Zealand native died from kidney complications after a long bout of illness.

His son, Poumau Papali'i-Smith, told The Stuff,

"For the last seven years, he'd been on dialysis, which took its toll on him over the years."

As per the statement, the Māori actor was sick for several years and was also diagnosed with dementia two years ago. After beginning his dialysis at home, the 63-year-old contracted an infection. Smith is survived by his wife Mona Papali'i and their six children.

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What was Pete Smith known for?

Peter Bruce Smith was reportedly born in Kaitaia, New Zealand, on August 7, 1958. He forayed into acting with 1984's Other Halves, where he was credited as an extra. However, prior to his debut in the mid-1980s, Smith is reported to have been involved with theater projects.

He appeared in 1985's New Zealander sci-fi film The Quiet Earth. Two years later, Pete Smith starred in a recurring role as Churchill in TVNZ's Heroes, where he played the character for six episodes.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Smith was involved in multiple projects, including feature films, TV films, and onetime roles in TV episodes. The actor was best known for his role as Hone in 1993's The Piano and an Orc in 2003's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He also portrayed a character named Dooley in Once Were Warriors in 1994.

The late actor (right) with Temuera Morrison in Once Were Warriors (1994) (Image via Fine Line Features)

Pete Smith was also featured in another TVNZ-produced drama series, The Market (2005). He received the "Best supporting actor" at the New Zealand Screen Award for his role in the series. As per his IMDb profile, the actor's last role was in 2010's comedy film, Hugh & Heke, where he played one of the titular roles, Heke.

The New Zealand native reportedly co-created a show titled Maramataka - Once Were Gardeners. According to his son's statement,

"He was always out in the community filming documentaries with the local talent up here with his gardening show."

Throughout his acting career spanning almost four decades, Pete Smith appeared in 25 projects, as per IMDb. The actor also received some recognition, including the "Best performance in a male supporting role" at the New Zealand Film and TV Awards.