Lord of the Rings actor Pete Smith dies, aged 63

Smith’s son Poumau Papali'i-Smith told New Zealand news outlet Stuff his father had been “sick for a long time”.

He said: “He was sick for a long time, so it’s kind of bittersweet.

"For the last seven years he’d been on dialysis which took its toll on him over the years. Within the last two years he was also diagnosed with dementia.

"We started doing dialysis at home but over the last few weeks he suffered an infection which he fought for the last four weeks."

He added: “He passed on Saturday. We are happy that he didn't have to suffer any longer."

Smith made his acting debut in 1985 science fiction film The Quiet Earth, in which he portrayed a character called Api.

He went on to star in a number of hit films including Once Were Warriors, The Piano and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, which was a sequel to Once Were Warriors.

In 2006, he won Best Performance by a Supporting Actor at the Air New Zealand Screen Awards for his performance in drama series The Market. He was also awarded Best Supporting Actor for his role in Flight of the Albatross.

Smith also appeared in a number of TV shows, including Greenstone, Mataku and the long-running New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street.