Who did Bernard Hill play in Lord of the Rings? English actor passes away at 79

Bernard Hill, best recognized for the films Titanic and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has passed away, as confirmed in a statement from the late actor’s family, according to CNN. The actor passed away in the “early hours of Sunday morning”, May 5, at age 79. The actor’s cause of death has remained undisclosed.

With a decades-long career, Hill appeared in True Crime (1999), and Valkyrie (2008), among many others.

However, he was much loved for his performance as King Theoden in two of the three films of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings. Hill’s character gave an inspiring battle speech in the trilogy:

“Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden!”

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More details about Bernard Hill’s character in Lord of the Rings

The 79-year-old actor first appeared in the second installment of the franchise, The Two Towers, released in 2002. Here he played King Theoden, King of Rohan and the Lord of the Mark.

Theoden was the sole child of King Thengel. He inherited the title “King of Rohan” upon his father’s death. He lived with his sister, but after his sister and her husband died in the movie, Bernard Hill’s character went on to adopt his sister’s children. He also had a child of his own, whose mother died during childbirth.

Hill’s character is first shown as mortally wounded and weak early in the film. He is then seen as a strong persona leading a cavalry as the movie progresses. His character was responsible for some of the most memorable scenes and dialogues in the trilogy. In The Two Towers, he says:

“So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?”

One of Theoden’s iconic battle cries as he rallies the remaining soldiers behind him in The Two Towers is as follows:

“Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath! Now for ruin! And a red dawn!”

Bernard Hill reprised his role in the third and final installment, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, released in 2003.

Before leading his men to battle, Hill’s character was seen shouting at the top of his lungs:

“Arise, arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered—a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride! Ride for ruin and the world’s ending! Death! Death! Death! Forth Eorlingas!”

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Fans and friends in the industry are now paying tributes to Bernard Hill all over social media platforms. His former Lord of the Rings co-stars, including Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, also paid tribute to him during Sunday’s Comic Con Liverpool, according to a video shared by ITV News.