The Dominion Post had an article about Bret McKenzie’s (Figwit) involvement with The Hobbit last week, and Variety has confirmed it. Bret will play the elf of Rivendell, Lindir. You might say, “Who?” Well, if you recall your the ‘Many Meetings’ chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring, Lindir is one of the elves who enjoys Bilbo’s song so much, he asks for a second hearing…
`Now we had better have it again,’ said an Elf. Bilbo got up and bowed. `I am flattered, Lindir,’ he said. ‘But itwould be too tiring to repeat it all.’ ‘Not too tiring for you,’ the Elves answered laughing. ‘You know you are never tired of reciting your own verses. But really we cannot answer your question at one hearing!’
`What!’ cried Bilbo. ‘You can’t tell which parts were mine, and which were the Dunadan’s?’
‘It is not easy for us to tell the difference between two mortals’ said the Elf.
‘Nonsense, Lindir,’ snorted Bilbo. ‘If you can’t distinguish between a Man and a Hobbit, your judgement is poorer than I imagined. They’re as different as peas and apples.’
‘Maybe. To sheep other sheep no doubt appear different,’ laughed Lindir. `Or to shepherds. But Mortals have not been our study. We have other business.’
It’s pretty nice to finally have an official character name associated with Bret’s character, but I think we are going to always lovingly call him Figwit. [Variety]