English actor Bernard Hill appeared in over 100 productions in movies and TV shows. With his professional career starting in 1970, Hill’s acting credits spanned over five decades. His love for acting was evident in his relentless commitment to breathe life into his characters.
Until his death, Bernard Hill was a force to be reckoned with as a stage and screen actor. Of the three films with the highest Academy Award wins, Bernard Hill starred in two. Bernard Hill died on May 5, 2024, at the age of 79. In remembering his contribution to film and television through the years, here are Bernard Hill’s most iconic roles in movies and TV shows.
Boys from the Blackstuff
Bernard Hill got his start on television in the early 1970s. However, his breakout role was portraying Yosser Hughes on the BBC2 British TV series Boys from the Blackstuff. English screenwriter Alan Bleasdale created the series and character, and it was a sequel to the television play The Black Stuff, which Hill also played. Hill’s Yosser Hughes was an unemployed Liverpudlian man who mostly wore black clothes. Bernard Hill was so absorbed into the character that he admitted at a point that it became difficult to differentiate him from Yosser Hughes when the camera wasn’t rolling. Hill’s performance and character portrayal significantly impacted his early acting career.
The Bounty
With the success of Boys from the Blackstuff, Bernard Hill began appearing in more prominent supporting roles in film and television. One such role was playing William Cole in the 1984 British historical action-adventure drama The Bounty. The swashbuckler thriller was based on the voyage and mutiny of HMS Bounty. Bernard Hill starred alongside several notable names in today’s movie industry. The Bounty’s star-studded cast included Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Liam Neeson.
Titanic
The success of James Cameron’s epic romantic disaster film Titanic became Bernard Hill’s international breakthrough role. Hill portrayed British sea captain and naval officer Captain Edward J. Smith, who was the captain of the ill-fated Titanic. Although a minor supporting role, Hill’s portrayal of Titanic’s captain stood out for viewers. Till his death, Titanic remained Bernard Hill’s highest-grossing movie. Produced on a record budget of $200 million, Titanic grossed $2.264 billion at the Box Office.
True Crime
Bernard Hill was also part of the Clint Eastwood-directed mystery thriller True Crime. Although a commercial failure, with only average reviews, True Crime is still one of Hill’s most memorable roles. With the movie based on Andrew Klavan’s 1995 novel, Bernard Hill is cast as Warden Luther Plunkitt. Although he’s the warden of the prison where convicted murderer Frank Louis Beechum is incarcerated and awaiting execution, like journalist Steve Everett, Luther Plunkitt begins to suspect Beechum’s innocence.
The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King film series may be considered by many as one of Hollywood’s least successful film franchises, but its first film was a success. The Chuck Russell-directed 2002 action-adventure movie was created as a spin-off and prequel to the famous The Mummy franchise. With Dwayne Johnson portraying the Mathayus of Akkad/The Scorpion King, Bernard Hill plays Philos. Hill’s character is introduced as Memnon’s (Steven Brand) court magician. Philos later joins Mathayus and his gang after escaping from Memnon. Together, they bring down Memnon and destroy his rising empire.
The Lord of the Rings Film Series
Bernard Hill’s most popular and successful movie of the 21st century was Peter Jackson’s epic fantasy adventure, The Lord of the Rings. Having joined the series in its second installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Hill portrayed Théoden, The King of Rohan, in a supporting role. The character is first introduced in the film series as a weak King under the enchantment of his chief advisor, Gríma Wormtongue (played by Brad Dourif). After the resurrected White Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) rouses Théoden from the spell, he becomes an ally against the forces of Sauron and Saruman. Bernard Hill reprised the role in the third and final installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
Valkyrie
Bryan Singer’s 2008 thriller Valkyrie centered around the 1944 assassination plot of German army officers on Adolf Hitler. Set during World War II, the movie depicted how Operation Valkyrie’s national emergency plan was conceived and put into motion. Although Bernard Hill’s character wasn’t named in the movie, he depicted Lieutenant General Wolfgang Fischer. This is known because, like in the movie, Lieutenant General Wolfgang Fischer was the Commander of the 10th Panzer Division when Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (portrayed by Tom Cruise) was serving. Valkyrie was a critical and commercial success, grossing $201.5 million on a $75–90 million budget.
Wolf Hall
Bernard Hill was renowned for portraying several historical figures and famous fictional characters. In the BBC Two British serial Wolf Hall, Bernard Hill portrayed Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. The series was based on Hilary Mantel’s 2009 and 2012 sequel novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. The six-part series originally aired from January 21 to February 25, 2015, and was met with critical success.
Golden Years
One of Bernard Hill’s most notable performances of the 2010s was in the British action comedy Golden Years. Hill led the cast as Arthur Goode. Golden Years revolves around a law-abiding retired couple forced into the world of crime after the country’s pension crises. Co-starring alongside Virginia McKenna as his on-screen wife, the couple plot and rob local banks until they gain nationwide notoriety. The then-72-year-old Bernard Hill played the character with much panache. If you enjoyed reading about Bernard Hill’s movies and TV shows, check out these 6 best Hiroyuki Sanada movies and TV shows.
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