Life & Style

Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, who brought Lord of the Rings alive on screen, dies at 59

59-year-old native of Sydney is said to have suffered a heart attack

Web Desk April 28, 2015

Andrew Lesnie. PHOTO: AFP

Andrew Lesnie, the cinematographer on all of Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit movies, and a 2002 Oscar winner, died on Monday.

The 59-year-old native of Sydney is said to have suffered a heart attack.

The legendary cinematographer had studied film and television at Technical and Further Education South Australia (TAFE) and at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School before joining the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a camera assistant.

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Lesnie won an Oscar for his work on the first Lord of the Rings movie, The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). He also worked with Jackson on the remake of King Kong (2005) and The Lovely Bones (2009).

The cinematographer often worked with Australian director George Miller on projects such as Mad Max: Road Warrior and the animated Happy Feet.

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Known for balancing technology with artistic considerations, Lesnie also shot Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), directed by Rupert Wyatt.

He was recently associated with The Water Diviner, the directorial debut of actor Russell Crowe, which opened in US theatres on Friday.

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Following the news of Lesnie’s death, Crowe posted a tribute to the late cinematographer on Twitter.