Pete Smith, the Lord of the Rings actor, died on Saturday, January 29, at the age of 63. According to local media, the New Zealander died of renal issues following a protracted illness. Poumau Papali’i-Smith, his son, told The Stuff,
“He’d been on dialysis for the previous seven years, which had taken its toll on him throughout the years.”
According to the announcement, the Mor actor had been ill for some years and was diagnosed with dementia two years ago. The 63-year-old developed an infection after starting dialysis at home. Smith’s wife, Mona Papali’i, and their six children survive him.
What was Pete Smith mostly known for?
Peter Bruce Smith was supposedly born on August 7, 1958, in Kaitaia, New Zealand. He made his acting debut in 1984 with Other Halves, when he was listed as an extra. Smith is said to have been active in theatrical productions prior to his debut in the mid-1980s. He had an appearance in the 1985 New Zealand sci-fi film The Quiet Earth. Pete Smith debuted in a recurring role as Churchill on TVNZ’s Heroes two years later, playing the part for six episodes.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Smith worked on a variety of projects, including feature films, TV films, and one-off appearances in TV episodes. The actor was most recognized for his roles as Hone in The Piano in 1993 and as an Orc in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003. In 1994, he played a character called Dooley in the film Once Were Warriors.
Pete Smith also appeared in another TVNZ drama series, The Market (2005). For his part in the series, he won the New Zealand Screen Award for “Best Supporting Actor.” According to his IMDb biography, the actor’s most recent performance was in the 2010 comedy picture Hugh & Heke, in which he portrayed one of the eponymous characters, Heke.
The New Zealand native is said to have co-created the program Maramataka – Once Were Gardeners. According to his son’s declaration,
“With his gardening program, he was usually out in the community recording documentaries with local talent up here.”
Pete Smith featured in 25 productions during the course of his almost four-decade acting career, according to IMDb. The actor also won an award for “Best performance in a male supporting role” at the New Zealand Film and TV Awards.
