Peter Jackson’s ambitious Lord of the Rings trilogy, an eight-year cinematic undertaking. It was budgeted between $280 and $330 million, and faced the daunting task of translating Tolkien’s expansive world to the screen. The expansive universe inevitably made Lord of the Rings ​​​​​​a big-budget franchise overall. With a vast cast of central and peripheral characters, the casting process was a monumental challenge. Jackson sought a delicate balance: actors who embodied the roles authentically, yet possessed sufficient star power without overshadowing the characters themselves.

This led to a diverse cast and characters of Lord of the Rings, featuring well-known performers who weren’t necessarily blockbuster leads, avoiding the potential distractions of mega-stars. The journey from initial casting wish lists to the final selection was fraught with twists and turns. Actors declined offers, others vied for roles they didn’t secure, and even those cast faced unforeseen changes. The demanding production schedule, involving years of on-location filming in remote New Zealand, further complicated the process, deterring some and necessitating replacements.

15

Stuart Townsend

Aragorn

It is hard to imagine the franchise without Viggo Mortensen, but several actors were in the running for Aragorn – such as Nicolas Cage, who turned down both Lord of the Rings’ Aragorn and The Matrix’s Neo due to family commitments. But one actor was actually cast before Aragorn joined the lineup – Stuart Townsend. Townsend, known for his role in Akasha Queen of the Damned, immersed himself in the role, joining the cast and dedicating two months to rigorous training. However, this casting proved short-lived (per Wayback Machine).

The studio and director ultimately felt Townsend was not the right fit, particularly his youthful appearance, which clashed with the character’s seasoned warrior persona. It was recognized that his delivery of Aragorn’s powerful speeches would have lacked the necessary gravitas. Consequently, Townsend was dismissed shortly before filming commenced, leading to Viggo Mortensen’s last-minute recruitment. Despite the abrupt circumstances, Mortensen delivered a memorable performance, throwing his full energy into the role regardless of occupational injuries.

14

Kate Winslet

Eowyn

According to FandomWire, Kate Winslet’s name came up during conversations about casting the character of Éowyn. This would have been at the height of Winslet’s fame following the groundbreaking success of тιтanic. Her post-тιтanic fame led her to avoid large-scale productions for some time, so for this reason she turned Lord of the Rings down, although she had worked with Peter Jackson in the past. In her place, Miranda Otto took up her shield to play the courageous Éowyn in a performance both powerful and moving.

It was ultimately the right move not to have Winslet play the iconic shieldmaiden. Although there are some famous faces in the cast like Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee, many of the cast were not distractingly famous at the time. Otto’s portrayal captured Lord of the Rings’ Éowyn’s quiet determination, her yearning for agency, and her fierce courage in the face of overwhelming odds, resonating deeply with audiences and solidifying Éowyn as a powerful female figure in the fantasy genre.

13

Lucy Lawless

Galadriel

In an effort to cast as many New Zealanders as possible in the Kiwi production, Jackson originally wanted Lucy Lawless as Galadriel. Given her established background in action-fantasy through Xena: Warrior Princess, it’s conceivable she would have brought a more physically ᴀssertive, rougher quality to the character, akin to the warrior-Galadriel depicted in Amazon’s The Rings of Power. This contrasts sharply with Cate Blanchett’s portrayal, which was widely lauded for its serene regality and ethereal gravitas, establishing a definitive cinematic representation of the Elven queen.

However, like several of those who were mentioned in casting conversations, Lawless felt the length of time on set for the demanding movies seemed too hard to balance with her family life. She was newly pregnant at the time, so she turned it down, although she later told Reuters she probably could have done it, suggesting she regretted rejecting the role. Lawless later shone in Spartacus and Cate Blanchett delivered an unforgettable, multifaceted, powerful performance as Lord of the Rings’ Galadriel.

12

Patrick Stewart

Gandalf

Gandalf surely conjures only one image as the pipe smoking Istar, but this was not always the case. According to WhatCulture, his close friend, Patrick Stewart, was approached for the role. However, Stewart’s meeting with Peter Jackson, revealed at a Star Trek Convention, ended with him declining the part.

While Jackson envisioned him as Gandalf, Stewart expressed interest in a different, unspecified character. After reviewing the script, Stewart voiced several critiques of the story, leading him to ultimately pᴀss on the opportunity. This decision paved the way for McKellen to deliver his now-legendary performance.

McKellen masterfully conveyed Gandalf’s weariness, his ancient knowledge, and his unwavering belief in the power of good. Even in moments of quiet contemplation, like his comforting words to Pippin in Minas Tirith, McKellen’s performance is immortalizing, demonstrating a remarkable range that cemented Gandalf as a cinematic icon. He made the character his own, and because of him, Gandalf is just as loved in the films as he is in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books.

11

Sean Connery

Gandalf

According to The Independent, Sean Connery was almost cast to play Gandalf in Lord of the Rings because, having read the script, he “just didn’t get it”. The producers didn’t hear his reason for turning the role down until years later. While it’s true that they initially reached out to Connery, which would have cost a significant portion of the movie’s budget, the producers still desperately wanted Ian McKellen, despite his self-deprecating comments about not being the first choice for the role.

The decision to cast McKellen was certainly for the best, with McKellen on several occasions referring to Gandalf as the “role of a lifetime”. He has had an almost scholarly commitment to the role as the wizard, something he has doubled down on in McKellen’s intended return in Hunt for Gollum.

10

Uma Thurman

Arwen

Uma Thurman’s career, bookended by her prominent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino on Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill films, had a brief window where she was offered a significant role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as Arwen. However, the timing of the offer coincided with the birth of her first child (per CBR). This, coupled with the potential for a multi-year relocation to New Zealand – a prospect that initially involved her then-husband, Ethan Hawke – led to her decision to prioritize family over the demanding production schedule.

Her decision held implications beyond her own career. Had she committed to Lord of the Rings, Tarantino would have faced a longer wait for Kill Bill. Instead, Liv Tyler was cast and put her heart into the production, seeking to be more involved with the story due to her sincere love for the project. Although the footage of Arwen fighting in Lord of the Rings ultimately was not used because it deviated too much from the books, Tyler’s Arwen lent a different form of female power to the series that is still incredibly moving to rewatch.

9

James Corden

Samwise Gamgee

Incredibly, James Corden auditioned for the role of Sam in Lord of the Rings (per Variety). He referred to his audition succinctly as “not good”. According to Corden, he was called back twice and then not called back again, and was one of many London actors who auditioned for roles in the exciting fantasy production.

He even put on the West Country accent for Sam, but this was not enough to make him a patch on Sean Astin. Astin’s performance honors the heartwarming bravery of Frodo’s loyal companion.

8

Jake Gyllenhaal

Frodo

On the topic of actors who didn’t make it past the audition stage, Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned for Frodo (per RadioTimes). This is hard to imagine, since if he played Frodo, he would not have been available for filming his breakthrough role in Donnie Darko, which would have clashed with The Fellowship of the Ring’s schedule.

Gyllenhaal noted that his agents were excited for the adaptation and that they immediately thought of him for a Hobbit casting. Gyllenhaal found the audition challenging due to the lack of lines and simple instructions to pick up a ring. He recounted a fairly nonchalant mime of handling the powerful One Ring that made Peter Jackson facepalm.

7

Daniel Day-Lewis

Aragorn

According to MovieWeb, Daniel Day-Lewis was asked not once, but twice to play Aragorn. The critically-acclaimed, extremely private actor was not interested in big-budget franchise, so he continually turned down the role Peter Jackson clearly sought him for. He certainly had the right gravitas to play Isildur’s heir, but it is hard to imagine anyone but Mortensen.

While Daniel Day-Lewis, known for his intense and transformative performances, could have undoubtedly brought a compelling intensity to the role, it’s less certain whether he would have captured the same level of subtle sensitivity that Mortensen achieved. The delicate balance of strength and vulnerability that Mortensen brought to Aragorn was a key component of the character’s appeal, and it’s a quality that might have been interpreted differently by Day-Lewis.

6

Liam Neeson

Boromir

Following the conclusion of his portrayal of Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Liam Neeson was presented with an opportunity to join the Lord of the Rings film trilogy as Boromir. However, after reviewing the script, Mr. Neeson elected to decline the role.

According to Yahoo!, the reason behind Neeson rejecting the role was not wanting to repeat an early death sequence after Qui-Gon’s demise. Fortunately, another great actor was more used to dying on screen, and Sean Bean’s reputation for on-screen deaths has been memed for years. He did not disappoint in the tear-jerking scene in The Fellowship of the Ring.

5

Russell Crowe

Aragorn

Russell Crowe was reportedly considered for the role of Aragorn (per The Hollywood Reporter). Crowe has reflected on the time in the movie business when everybody seemed to want him in everything and he had an instinct that Peter Jackson had someone else in mind.

Crowe’s feeling that studio pressure led to the phone call rather than him truly following his artistic vision in these early conversations meant turning his back on a big paycheque rather than take a role he wasn’t the right fit for. Being one of several actors who were considered to play the grizzled ranger, this anecdote only further reinforces that Mortensen’s portrayal of Aragorn is inspiring.

4

Sam Neill

Gandalf

Sam Neill, another New Zealander, has confirmed that he was offered the role of Gandalf (per Mental Floss). He turned it down because he had other scheduling commitments that the long production would have clashed with.

It was nothing personal – Neill said that he was very fond of Peter Jackson as a director and expressed a keenness to work with him on future projects. It seems that for key characters, Peter Jackson had his heart set on particular actors, and he really wanted Ian McKellen, but he nonetheless pursued other actors before McKellen agreed.

3

Kevin Conway

Théoden

The King Théoden role initially appeared to belong to Kevin Conway (The One Ring). However, Bernard Hill’s casting created a period of uncertainty, with reports suggesting both actors were attached. Conway subsequently clarified he withdrew from consideration, citing the limited screen time relative to the extensive New Zealand filming commitment.

Two actors in the same role certainly would have been interesting. Presumably, one actor would have played the King of Rohan while bewitched by Wormtongue, while the other would have played him once out of his clutches. Ultimately, Hill made Théoden a legend – in the transformation scene alone, he had to perform the scene four times with different stages of makeup (per Ranker).

2

Christopher Lee

Gandalf

Peter Jackson strongly wanted the acting veteran Christopher Lee for Saruman, but the actor himself originally had his heart set on Gandalf. Remembering the late and great Lee with Entertainment Weekly, Jackson recalled that he insisted he be able to audition for Gandalf:

“A very awkward 30 minutes followed, with Fran and I trying our best to explain to a rather peeved Christopher Lee that we were already talking to Ian McKellen about Gandalf — but what an incredible Saruman he would be!”

It seemed that the shadow of Lee’s iconic portrayal of Dracula loomed over him, and he wanted to play someone good. Jackson felt this when he frequently reminded him that Saruman was really “not an evil man”. Regardless of his disdain for his perceived typecasting, his Saruman was iconic.

1

Vin Diesel

Aragorn

Vin Diesel is undoubtedly a blockbuster hero, but he is hard to imagine as Aragorn – incredibly, the action powerhouse unsuccessfully auditioned to do exactly that. Vin Diesel was one of several actors vying for the role of Aragorm, according to ReactorMag.

Looking past the typecasting that made Diesel famous, he is a fantasy fan, and reportedly a Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast (per The Guardian). Nonetheless, it is hard to speculate what his portrayal of Aragorn would have been like beyond one of the many crazy “what-ifs” of the Lord of the Rings franchise.

Source: Wayback Machine, FandomWire, Reuters, WhatCulture, The Independent, CBR, RadioTimes, MovieWeb, Mental Floss, The One Ring, Entertainment Weekly, ReactorMag, The Guardian

The Lord of the Rings

Movie(s)

The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Created by

J.R.R. Tolkien

First Film

The Lord of the Rings (1978)

Cast

Norman Bird, Anthony Daniels, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Morfydd Clark, Mike Wood, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Megan Richards, Sara Zwangobani, Daniel Weyman, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Lenny Henry, Brian Cox, Shaun Dooley, Miranda Otto, Bilal Hasna, Benjamin Wainwright, Luke Pasqualino, Christopher Guard, William Squire, Michael Scholes, John Hurt

TV Show(s)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

Character(s)

Frodo Baggins, Gandalf, Legolas, Boromir, Sauron, Gollum, Samwise Gamgee, Pippin Took, Celeborn, Aragorn, Galadriel, Bilbo Baggins, Saruman, Aldor, Wormtongue, Thorin Oakenshield, Balin Dwalin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Fili, Kili, Oin, Gloin, Nori, Dori, Ori, Tauriel, King Thranduil, Smaug, Radagast, Arondir, Nori Brandyfoot, Poppy Proudfellow, Marigold Brandyfoot, Queen Regent Míriel, Sadoc Burrows

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