Trivia

Believed while filming The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) that castmate Brad Dourif was actually English as Dourif never stopped using the accent. When Dourif finally began using his American accent Hill thought it was fake and accused Dourif of the worst fake accent he had ever heard.

Is the only actor to star in two billion dollar films that have both won 11 Oscars (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and Titanic (1997)).

In his commentary on The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) Extended Edition DVD, he admits that during the course of shooting he first broke his sternum, then had his ear slashed open by a sword.

Is currently a purple belt in karate

Before being cast as King Theoden in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, director Peter Jackson considered Hill for the role of the wizard Gandalf, which went to Sir Ian McKellen.

As of 2022, he has appeared in four films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Gandhi (1982), Titanic (1997), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). With the exception of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), all the other three films are winners in the category.

In film, he has been on the final voyage of two famous ships: the Bounty (in the Mel Gibson film The Bounty (1984)) and the Titanic (as Captain Edward J. Smith in Titanic (1997)).

Has a son with his wife Marianne Hill: Gabriel Hill.

Is one of only three actors who appear in two of the seven movies that grossed over $1 billion in the box office: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) and Titanic (1997). The other actors are Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom.

His birthday coincides with the release date of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).

He has had supporting roles in two of the seven most successful films of all time: Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). Both had made more than $1 billion worldwide; both won exactly 11 Oscars including Best Picture; and both are over three hours long.

His ashes were sprinkled into the English Channel.

He has been in three different versions of "A Midsummer Night's Dream". In the animated miniseries "Shakespeare: The Animated Tales", he voiced Nick Bottom. In the 1999 live-action movie, he played Egeus. In the English version of the 2005 animated Spanish film (English title: "Midsummer Dream"), he was the voice of Theseus.

His Lord of the Rings co-stars, Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), Billy Boyd (Peregrin "Pippin" Took) and Dominic Monaghan (Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck), honored him at a Comic Con event in Liverpool, UK, on May 5, 2024, which took place on the day he died. Hill was supposed to attend the event, however he canceled a few days before.

Although his character Yosser Hughes in Boys from the Blackstuff (1982) is a Liverpool FC supporter and he appeared in a scene with actual Liverpool players Graeme Souness and Sammy Lee, Hill is a longtime supporter of their biggest rivals Manchester United FC.

His role of King Theoden was previously played by Jack May in the BBC Radio version of The Lord of the Rings. He and May appeared together in The Bounty (1984).

Graduated with a diploma in theatre in 1970.

Born into a family of Catholic coal miners.

Was considered for the role of Russell in Doctor Who: Attack of the Cybermen, which went to Terry Molloy.

Attended Xaverian College, and then Manchester Polytechnic School of Drama at the same time as Richard Griffiths.

He has worked with two actors who played Mohammad Ali Jinnah. Sir Christopher Lee, with whom he appeared in the Lord of the Rings films, played the role in the film Jinnah (1998). The film Gandhi (1982), in which Hill appeared, featured Jinnah as a character, played by Alyque Padamsee.

He was scheduled to be in Shanghai Surprise but Sean Penn didn't like him so he was replaced by Paul Freeman.