English movie actor, Sir Ian Holm, is dead. Ian played Bilbo Baggins in the popular movie, Lord of the Rings. He was 88.

According to reports, the award-winning actor passed away on Friday, 19th of June. He died after a battle with Parkinson’s disease.

His agent, Alex Irwin, confirmed his death in a statement.

He said: “It is with great sadness we can confirm 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. His illness was Parkinson’s related,” Irwin said.

“An established star of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Harold Pinter’s favourite actor, (he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor as Lenny in The Homecoming).

Sir Ian was globally recognized for his exceptionally outstanding career which included highlights such as Chariots of Fire, The Fifth Element, Alien, The Sweet Hereafter, Time Bandits, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and The Madness of King George.

He went on, “His portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings trilogies ensured the magic of his craft could be shared by all generations.

“He was a genius of stage and screen, winning multiple awards and loved by directors, audiences and his colleagues alike. His sparkling wit always accompanied a mischievous twinkle in his eye, ” he said.

“Charming, kind, and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely, ” he added.