LORD OF THE RINGS’ Ian Holm Dies at 88

Lord of the Rings’ Actor Ian Holm Dies at 88

Actor Ian Holm, who played hobbit favorite, Bilbo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings franchise has passed away at age 88.

Holms’ agents confirmed that Holm passed away peacefully in the hospital on Friday morning with his family and carer beside him. The actor had been battling Parkinson’s Disease for a number of years. Before Holms entered the world of film and television, he was an established star of the stage, he was in the original production and Broadway production of Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. When he got into film and television, his most known roles were in Alien, The Fifth Element, Chariots of Fire, The Madness of King George and many more. He has one several awards during his career, including a Tony Award and a BAFTA. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his role in Chariots of Fire.

However, it was his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins that introduced his talent to a whole new generation and added so much purity and genuineness to an iconic character in the franchise. Peter Jackson even wrote a really moving tribute to the late actor on his Facebook, recounting how brave and strong the actor was despite the fact that he had been battling Parkinson’s disease. Holm’s had turned down the part of Bilbo Baggins, due to his disease, but Jackson made arrangements for the actor and he eventually signed on to do the role. Jackson gives insight on what it was like to work with him and the type of person he was and it’s a really lovely tribute to the actor, showing how truly iconic his last performance is. Though Holm’s had missed Josh Gad’s ‘Reunited Apart: Lord of the Rings Edition Zoom Call’, which reunited all of the cast of the franchise, which was posted a month ago, he had left a note for his cast with Gad which shared his love for them, Lord of the Rings jokes, and kind words about adventure. He will be forever missed and remembered. Rest in Peace, Ian.

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