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Hill first broke out in Boys from the Blackstuff as the actor portrayed Yosser Hughes. During the show’s run, Yosser became a fan-fave character as they showed the highs and lows of unemployment in Liverpool. And from there, Hill’s career continued to rise. He would work on a number of high profile projects over the years and became the kind of character actor whose name you might not know, but whose face was instantly familiar.
Astin, who played Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings, began the tribute by saying: “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.”
Boyd, who played Pippin, added, “I don’t think anyone spoke Tolkien’s words as great as Bernard did. The way he grounded those words in a realism. He would break my heart. He will be sorely missed.”
You can see it below.
“Bernard Hill blazed a trail across the screen, and his long-lasting career filled with iconic and remarkable roles is a testament to his incredible talent,” BBC Drama director Lindsay Salt said on Sunday. ” From Boys from the Blackstuff, to Wolf Hall, The Responder, and many more, we feel truly honoured to have worked with Bernard at the BBC. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this sad time.”
