Well-renowned British actor Bernard Hill has passed away at 79 years old. Famous for his roles in Titanic and Lord of the Rings, Hill died early in the morning with his fiancée Alison and son Gabriel at his side.

Hill gained recognition in the UK for his acting skills in the 1983 BBC miniseries Boys From the Blackstuff. There, he portrayed Yosser Hughes, a man struggling with unemployment alongside his friends as he tried to navigate an unjust system. His catchphrase “Gizza job” became widely known in British culture because it captured the spirit of working-class men at the time. Because of this, the series earned a BAFTA for Best Drama Series that year.

Soon, Hill branched out into movies, ranging from Gandhi to The Scorpion King. Hill gained the most recognition as Captain Smith in James Cameron’s Titanic and King Théoden in The Two Towers and The Return of the King from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Remarkably, these films gained further recognition as two of the three films (Ben-Hur tied for the list) with the most Academy Award wins.

Hill was originally set to appear at a comic book event in Liverpool on Saturday, but he had to cancel at the last minute. In a Twitter post, the convention gave their condolences to Hill’s family, calling his death “a great loss.”

We’re heartbroken to hear the news of Bernard Hill’s passing. A great loss. Thinking of his family at this very sad time, and wishing them a lot of strength. pic.twitter.com/5kdMqz7pS5

— Comic Con Liverpool (@comconliverpool) May 5, 2024

There is currently no cause of death listed, though many LOTR fans will certainly mourn the loss of their beloved king.