It’s been a long time coming, but there was finally cause for rejoicing in Middle-earth last week when director Peter Jackson announced he’d cast several key roles in his adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel, The Hobbit. The casting of Martin Freeman of the UK Office fame as Bilbo Baggins was widely expected, but some Tolkien fans were surprised and slightly befuddled to see English actor Richard Armitage, best known for the BBC series MI-5, cast as Thorin Oakenshield, the gruff leader of a company of dwarves. What was Jackson doing hiring a hunky actor to play a character most often depicted in illustrations — and in the 1977 animated Hobbit movie — as a squat, crabby, Wilford Brimley-ish old dwarf with a long white beard? In an interview (after the jump), Jackson tells EW the choice is actually right in line with the casting of Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn and Orlando Bloom as Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. More..
Tag: Thorin Oakenshield
There’s been a lot of discussion since yesterday’s casting announcements about Richard Armitage playing the role of Thorin Oakenshield. After all, he doesn’t ‘seem‘ to fit the role after a quick glance. Well, thanks to Photoshop, and Ringer Ringer WouterG, we can at least get a better picture of what he might appear like in The Hobbit films. Click the image for a larger version. Enjoy!
Up to date casting new is available at our Hobbit Cast Page.
The announcement of the cast for The Hobbit took place on October 21st, 2010, additional announcements were made on November 1st, 2010.
CAST LIST SO FAR (As of November 1st, 2010)
MARTIN FREEMAN – BILBO BAGGINS CONFIRMED
RICHARD ARMITAGE – THORIN OAKENSHIELD CONFIRMED
AIDAN TURNER – KILI CONFIRMED
ROB KAZINSKY – FILI CONFIRMED
GRAHAM MCTAVISH – DWALIN CONFIRMED
JOHN CALLEN – OIN CONFIRMED
STEPHEN HUNTER – BOMBUR CONFIRMED
MARK HADLOW – DORI CONFIRMED
PETER HAMBLETON – GLOIN CONFIRMED
JAMES NESBITT – BOFUR CONFIRMED
ADAM BROWN – ORI CONFIRMED
Rumored and Speculative
SYLVESTER MCCOY – RADAGAST THE BROWN UNCONFIRMED
BRIAN BLESSED – unknown RUMORED
BILL NIGHY – THE VOICE OF SMAUG RUMORED
VIGGO MORTENSEN – ARAGORN RUMORED
IAN MCKELLEN – GANDALF RUMORED
HUGO WEAVING – ELROND RUMORED
CATE BLANCHETT – GALADRIEL RUMORED
ANDY SERKIS – GOLLUM RUMORED
Unknown Casting or Voice Talent
Balin
Bifur
Nori
Bert
Tom
William
Beorn
Elvenking
Master of Lake-town
Bard
Dain
Eagles
Spiders Etc..
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MARTIN FREEMAN – BILBO BAGGINS
Martin John C. Freeman (born 8 September 1971) is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Tim Canterbury in the BBC’s Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Dr. John Watson in Sherlock.
Freeman has appeared in at least 18 TV shows, 14 theatre productions, and several radio productions. His most famous role remains that of Tim Canterbury in The Office. He also appeared in the sitcom Hardware. Additionally Freeman has appeared in several films, including Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G Indahouse (2002) and Richard Curtis’ Love Actually (2003). As well as his various comic roles, Freeman has also appeared in serious dramatic parts. His most prominent dramatic role to date has been as Lord Shaftesbury in the 2003 BBC historical drama Charles II: The Power and The Passion. He can also be seen making a brief appearance in the first episode of the second series of This Life, helping himself to £30 from Milly and Egg’s bedside table before unknowingly swigging a mouthful of Egg’s urine from a lager can. Freeman also starred in the BBC’s television series The Robinsons. Freeman also had a cameo performance in episode 1 of Black Books.
He had a cameo in Hot Fuzz (2007), a film written by Shaun of the Dead writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and had a brief non-speaking role in Shaun of the Dead as Yvonne’s boyfriend, Declan. He is in the 2007 film The All Together written & directed by Gavin Claxton. He also appeared along side Roger Lloyd Pack, Jamie Hogarth and Christopher Mellows in the 2007 Bill Kenwright theatre production of The Last Laugh. Continue reading “Meet Your Hobbit Cast”
Quint over at Aintitcool has a report that Australian Jack Thompson is “up for Thorin in The Hobbit”. The writer labels it a “rumor” so don’t jump to any conclusions and being “up for” a film probably means he has or will have an audition.
The pair of films based on “The Hobbit,” are waiting for a greenlight from the studios because one of the 50 percent owners of the potential revenue (MGM) has its future up in the air. Continue reading “What Thorin might look like”