Bernard Hill Has a Rare Hollywood Record in the Industry That Might Never Be Broken in the Future by Any Actor

With a career that spanned over five decades, Bernard Hill was an exceptional English actor who left an indisputable mark on the film industry. From his breakout role in Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff to playing Captain Edward Smith in the 1997 Academy Award-winning film Titanic he gave several influential and nuanced performances throughout his career in Hollywood.

Sadly, the actor passed away at the age of 79 as confirmed by his agent Lou Coulson on Sunday. Even though the Manchester native will be greatly missed by his fans, his artistic legacy will continue to live and entertain cinephiles. In fact, he holds a unique record that no other actor has surpassed to date and might not be broken in the years to come.

Bernard Hill made an exceptional record in Hollywood 

Winning an Oscar is the highest level of success one can achieve in the film industry. However, earning 11 Oscars is an extraordinary accomplishment that only three films have ever achieved. These three films are Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, and Ben-Hur. And it is even hard to imagine an actor being part of not just one, but two films that have won a total of 11 Oscars.

It’s hard to imagine an actor being part of not just one, but two films that have won a total of 11 Oscars. It seems almost unbelievable, doesn’t it? But fortunately, Bernard Hill achieved his unique milestone by appearing in Titanic and The Lord of the Rings. Hill played Captain Edward Smith in the epic romance starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and Théoden in the fantasy adventure film.

Bernard Hill played significant roles in two award-winning films, but he wasn’t awarded an Oscar for his performances. However, his involvement in both films which won 11 Oscars each puts him in a unique category in show business.

The LOTR star always stood out on the big screen

Bernard Hill has proved his acting prowess several times on the silver screen and his films like Titanic are one of the best examples. In this movie, he played an ineffective authority figure which became his most remarkable performance despite short screen time. In the final scene, Captain Smith went down with the sinking ship which showcased how the deadly accident left him shocked and traumatized.

During the Comic-Con Antwerp last year, Bernard Hill opened up about the Titanic’s Captain explaining how his death remains a mystery. So James Cameron turned to Hill and asked for his input on the ideal location for the death scene. Hill was initially hesitant. However, Cameron encouraged him to think about it and share his thoughts later.

After two days he told Cameron, “For the sake of the movie, he [should] be on the bridge. That’s the most dramatic place to be.” Apart from this, the actor also had a death scene in the Lord of the Rings films. Théoden, the King of Rohan, was killed during the Battle of Pelennor Fields outside Minas Tirith.