One of the most important characters in all of the films is undoubtedly Aragorn. He is the glue that holds the fellowship together, the leader when Gandalf is absent, and one of the most brave and noble men of Middle Earth. He manages to re-unite the kingdoms across the realms, and bring peace to the peoples after the many great battles and wars that have been fought. As such, the actor who played him had to be able to deliver a stellar performance.
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There were two very famous names considered for the role during the initial casting process, and the first of whom was Daniel Day Lewis, known for films like The Last of the Mohicans and Lincoln. The actor was offered the role twice, and turned it down both times. The second actor they wanted for the role was Nicholas Cage, who also turned down the role. It was eventually given to Stuart Townsend, most known for his role in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. He was replaced, just days before filming began, due to a lack of faith on Peter Jackson’s behalf, that he had the conviction and commitment to play the role the way it had been envisioned.
Finally, the position of Aragorn, a descendant of the kings of the Argonath, came to the actor Viggo Mortensen, who also almost turned it down until his son Henry told him how amazing the books are, and how much his dad would love the character. Viggo instantly became the perfect choice, with his commitment to sword-fighting and training, and is now one of the most beloved parts of the films.
Another essential character throughout the films is Gandalf the Grey. The wizard is a quirky character, a strange mixture of wisdom and knowledge in the form of his magic, and fun and games in the form of his famous fireworks. The casting crew wanted an actor who would be able to handle both the serious and the beautifully emotive sides of the character. The position was first offered to Sean Connery, the actor most known for his leading roles in the James Bond franchise. He declined, as he didn’t believe that the films would be very successful.
Next, they tried to hire Patrick Stewart, famous for his roles in Star Trek and the X-Men films, but Stewart was unable to tack the role due to prior commitments at the time. Even Christopher Lee went for the role, but was offered a position as Saruman the White instead, who later traps Gandalf on the Tower of Orthanc. Thus the role fell into the hands of Ian McKellen, a wonderfully talented and experienced actor, who also starred in the X-Men franchise. The other actors cast for the films were thrilled by this decision, as they all found McKellen very inspiring, and felt that they could learn a lot from his skills and extensive experience. Now that the audience has seen him in the role, with his brilliant mixture of kind-heartedness and ancient wisdom, it is impossible to believe that the role could have gone to anyone else.
There are several very powerful female roles in the Lord of the Rings, those of Eowyn, who symbolizes the strength of battle and the skill of a warrior, and Arwen, who symbolizes resilience and patience in the face of great evil. Both of these characters are essential in showing that the women of Middle Earth are just as valuable and intrinsic to the story as the men, and thus they had to be cast accordingly.
The role of Eowyn was originally given to Uma Thurman, most known for her roles in Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction but the actress was pregnant at the time, so felt that she couldn’t take on the role. She was later offered the role of Eowyn, and her husband was offered the role of Faramir, Eowyn’s love interest, but it was decided that a younger actor and actress were needed to portray the iconic shield maiden and the honorable man of Gondor. The role of Eowyn was also offered to Kate Winslet, the iconic actress from Titanic, but she too declined the role, due to a clash in scheduling. The roles ultimately found their way to Liv Tyler as Arwen, who captivated audiences with her beauty and her grace, and Miranda Otto as Eowyn, who is shown to be a strong, capable, and talented actress, just like her character.
And of course, the most essential character is that of Frodo Baggins. The ring-bearer, who must carry the ring on its elvish chain all the way from The Shire to Mordor, through the perils of Weathertop, Gollum, and the dark lord Sauron himself, was by far the most important casting choice. As the protagonist, the entire story revolves around this character, and the actor who portrays him.
The hobbits were all important, and there were some unusual considerations for the other members of the fellowship including James Cordon as Samwise Gamgee, Frodo’s trusty companion, but it was Frodo that ultimately kept the casting crew awake at night. Frodo is actually 50 in the original text by the time he leaves The Shire and meets Bilbo in Rivendell where he is finishing his book, but Peter Jackson knew he wanted a younger portrayal of the character.
Jake Gyllenhall auditioned for the role, but Peter Jackson later admitted that it was “one of the worst auditions he had ever seen” due to the unexpected English accent that was thrust upon the actor at the last minute, just before his audition. Elijah Wood was given the role, and it became the role that made his career, and one of the best experiences he has ever had. Lord of the Rings fans everywhere think he did a fantastic job at playing the hobbit who is so central to Tolkien’s amazing world.
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