Video Tribute. RIP Ian Holm of Alien & The Lord of the Rings.

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ian Holm had a screen acting career that lasted sixty years and earned him nearly 140 credits, but there are two roles that stand tall among the many: the man who played the elderly Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT films is also the one who delivered a memorably chilling performance as the covert android Ash in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror classic ALIEN. Those are two roles a legion of fans will be thinking back on as we process the sad news that Holm has passed away at the age of 88. See our video tribute to the man above!

Holm died of a Parkinson's related illness. His agent released a statement saying, 

It is with great sadness that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88. He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and carer … Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely."

Born in 1931, Holm fell in love with acting at an early age and worked primarily on the stage for decades, becoming part of the Royal Shakespeare Company when it was founded in 1960. He began focusing on screen acting after he was stricken by a severe case of stage fright during a performance of The Iceman Cometh in 1976.

In addition to ALIEN, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE HOBBIT, Holm's credits include Terry Gilliam's BRAZIL and TIME BANDITS; Luc Besson's THE FIFTH ELEMENT; Franco Zeffirelli's HAMLET; Kenneth Branagh's MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN; Atom Egoyan's THE SWEET HEREAFTER; the Hughes Brothers' FROM HELL; Chuck Russell's BLESS THE CHILD; Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR; the David Cronenberg films THE NAKED LUNCH and eXistenZ; Zach Braff's GARDEN STATE; Andrew Niccol's LORD OF WAR; Roland Emmerich's THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW; and Brad Bird's RATATOUILLE. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Supporting Actor category for his role in Hugh Hudson's 1981 film CHARIOTS OF FIRE.

Holm is survived by his wife Sophie de Stempel, five children from previous relationships, and former wife Penelope Wilton.

We offer our sincere condolences to Holm's family, friends, and fans.