Favorite LOTR actors?

[Emmie]

Thought it would be interesting to create a multi-choice poll for this. :)

I have a very difficult time choosing only a few as I think everyone did a splendid job. However, Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Viggo Mortensen would probably be my top picks.

[Nilfy]

Hard one! But my top choices are mr. McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Andy Serkis and Sean Bean. (I had a serious crush on Boromir for years, he's still my fav.)

[Thalivagoriel]

I was obsessed with Aragorn/Viggo Mortensen to put it mildly. :D Still watching movies he's in as often as I get the chance.

[Emmie]

I've watched a lot of Viggo's post-LOTR movies too. I think he's definitely a talented actor. :)

Andy Serkis
When Andy Serkis was on a book tour for Gollum: How We Made Movie Magic I got to hear him talk (and have him sign my book), and he's definitely a wonderful actor. He said a couple lines in-character for the audiance.

I was considering listing him as one of my favorites, but it's somewhat hard to tell how much of the Gollum character I love is "him" and how much is CG. Though, I did think he was good in Inkheart.

[Dianora]

My vote went to one half of this list, even though the other one deserved it just as much. I voted for Viggo, Elijah, both Seans, Miranda, and the illustrious trio: Sir Ian, Sir Christopher and Bernard Hill. :)

[Elven]

I voted for Sean Bean, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd and Bernard Hill. If I could revote, I'd add Andy Serkis and John Rhys-Davies to my list because I've met both of them and they are such lovely people! :D

[Blodeuedd]

Legolas cos I love him ;)
Eomer cos he is just so, so, so mmm
And faramir cos I can't forget about him :D

[Niniel]

Voted for Elijah, Billy, Dominic and Ian McKellen. Especially Elijah, I've had a crush on him since Fotr:D :p

[tanhuan]

This was a tough choice, but my top faves are Viggo, David Wenham, John Rhys-Davies, Sean Astin, and Bernard Hill.

[Clarett]

I voted for Viggo Mortensen, but my (other) favorite characters/actors are Sean Astin - Sam, Ian McKellen - Gandalf or Miranda Otto - Éowyn...So - it was really difficult choise for me XD

[Emmie]

Just so you know, Clarett, this was a multiple-choice poll, so you could have selected more than one. :) If you want I can edit the poll to add your vote to the rest of your favorites.

[Crichton]

Firstly I voted for Sean Astin, he made extraordinary Sam and when I read book, I imagined him just like that. There, Billy Boyd, most cute hobbit ever. Also, Vigo, for his excellent acting, I think most recognizable acting in whole movie (I like him in Hidalgo as well).

[Ring Lunatic]

When Andy Serkis was on a book tour for Gollum: How We Made Movie Magic I got to hear him talk (and have him sign my book), and he's definitely a wonderful actor. He said a couple lines in-character for the audiance.

HA! I can one-up you here ;) I actually kissed him on his beardy cheek when I met him a couple of years back. He's such a lovely men.

I should probably throw some tantrum for Grima / Brad Dourif not being in this poll, cause I would DEFINITELY vote for him (yes. Still. After al these years. Hush! :p). I already loved him before LotR. So there!

Now I've voted for Viggo, the Seans, both Ians, Christopher Lee, Bernard Hill, Dom, Billy, Miranda, Cate, Andy and John (oh, John! With his allergies and his make-up of DOOM)

[PiRaTeGiRl]

I LOVE VIGGO MORTENSEN!! I think Elijah plays very good too. ^^ And Cate Blanchett too.. :)

[jimmyboy]

I've come to realize that this is largely (exclusively?) a female discussion board, but I saw no rule saying a man couldn't register. So here I am. :cool:

(and what man doesn't want to be where the ladies are?)

Anyway, I picked Sean Bean, cause he's one of my favorite actors. I also picked McKellan cause he's just great as Biblo. And Andy Serkis because he's a very talented actor, and darn well should've received many awards for bringing Gollum's personality to life.

Mortensen fits Arargorn very well. Bean fits Boromir, but I would certainly have picked a different actor to play Faramir, and I certainly would have written him closer to Tolkien's version. McKellan's about as good a pick for the Grey Pilgrim as any I could imagine. Only other competitor would be Alec Guiness, if he was still around, though maybe that's because he's Ol' Obi-Wan in my mind. Still, I'd love to see Sir Alec play Gandalf!

None of the female actors in the movie, though there were very few anyway, would have been my first or second of third pick. Not that they weren't capable, and in fact I think Miss Otto did a fantastic job; best of the bunch. Just that none of them even remotely fit my image of how those particular characters looked. Well, maybe Miss Tyler did sorta look the part of Arwen, though honestly I can no longer recall what my image of her was before the movies. :(

I think I would have picked someone more like Carrie-Ann Moss or Natalie Imbruglia to play Arwen. Liv Tyler looks too...I don't know...child-like to me. Her features are too softened. Again, that's not a slam, just a feeble attempt at describing my preferences.

I would have picked someone who looks more like Molly Sims, but with light eyes, to play Eowyn. She's tall, blonde, (but not pale enough) and has the look that fits my mind's image of her, except I think Eowyn has grey or pale blue eyes. Actually, maybe Sharon Stone is a closer fit, though I don't know if she's tall enough. I don't know. I'm horrible at picking female actors! (And no, pretty enough doesn't cut it with these characters. The actor has to be able to play the part, like Miranda Otto, except that she doesn't look the part and I think she's a bit too short.)

[Emmie]

I also picked McKellan cause he's just great as Biblo.
You mean Holm, right? McKellen was Gandalf.

Miranda Otto is probably my favorite female actor from the movies. I think she's just as good as some of the people who I did pick, but unfortunately she gets so little screen time that it's hard to really see her talent.

[Clarett]

Miranda is great, but I like more Cate...
Gandalf is one of my most favorite male characters. And in the book Faramir. Very, very kind man ^^

[jimmyboy]

You mean Holm, right? McKellen was Gandalf.

Yeah, that's what I said: Holm.

:D
Miranda is great, but I like more Cate...
Gandalf is one of my most favorite male characters. And in the book Faramir. Very, very kind man ^^
Agreed. Book Faramir was a better man, "the highest quality", on par with Aragorn. Boromir was the one who was more susceptible to the Ring's lure, for both noble and mean reasons. In other words, Boromir is more like we, the average Joe, actually are. And Faramir is more like we, the average Joe, would like to be.

Both Aragorn and Faramir, though more Aragorn, are how I *try* (key word there) to be as a man. Add in Bruce Wayne to the mix, and you have the man I would be in an ideal world. :cool:

(I mean real* Bruce Wayne, not movie Bruce Wayne. Though real Bruce Wayne is even more tragic and dark, and far more bad-to-the-bone, and I'm not sure I want that much tragedy in my life.)

* "real" as in comic book, which if real = comics, then man that's a mind-bender if ever there was one!

[Arien]

I adore Cate - I think she is brilliant in most films she does. And I would love to see more with Dominic Monaghan.

My boyfriend mentioned why he thinks Ian McKellan is amazing a while back - even though he is famous, he is completely the character he is portraying when you are watching a movie. You don't see him as Ian McKellan during those two hours the way you see some famous actors as just themselves with a new costume in a film. Hadn't noticed that before.

And has anyone heard the old BBC radio play? Ian Holm was fantastic as Frodo!

[jimmyboy]

Arien, I know what you mean, and I tend to identify true actors that way. Most of the ones we call actors are just as you said: they're people who put on a costume and pretend to be someone else, but they're obviously just that same person in a costume.

Another good actor is Joaquin Phoenix. He becomes that person, not just Joaquin in a costume. Same goes for Daniel Day Lewis. I think Meryl Streep is another one.

[Emmie]

This is somewhat off topic, but I agree about Meryl Streep. Saw her in Doubt a few days ago.

[Arien]

Yep, Jimmy. Some people are just physically attractive and make a career of it :p

This is somewhat off topic, but I agree about Meryl Streep. Saw her in Doubt a few days ago.

I haven't had a chance to see the film yet. I was certain that she and Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be great, and was curious to see Amy Adams in a serious role. I've only seen her do comedy.

[jimmyboy]

Yep, Jimmy. Some people are just physically attractive and make a career of it :p

Yep, like Keanu Reeves. I mean, Ted.

Woah...

I haven't had a chance to see the film yet. I was certain that she and Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be great, and was curious to see Amy Adams in a serious role. I've only seen her do comedy.Speaking of attractive, I think she is. :)

And she did a good job in Doubt.

[PiRaTeGiRl]

Oh, I see that most of us like Aragorn!! So yays for Aragorn!!! XD

[Elven]

With regards to 'true actors', I'd put Johnny Depp's name in there. I know some people just like him because he's attractive but I've seen quite a wide range of his movies and it's quite astounding how he completely embodies a role when he's playing it, down to nuances such as the character's manner of walking.

Honestly, I'm surprised he hasn't won an Oscar, though I guess that's because his movies aren't so mainstream.

/here endeth the off topic post

[Sowen]

Vigo! He just looked like Aragorn should look. And I love to listen his voice.
5 years ago i would say orlando as well but I thing I'm over it now;)

Generally I am happy of most of actors - especially because they were not that famous. I can't imagine DiCaprio for example playing Frodo. It was enugh looking at Elrond and thinking about Marix...
I wish it will be the same in Hobbit!

[Emmie]

I agree that having non-famous actors is really nice -- it was great in Lord of the Rings to have all these relatively unknown people that were still extremely talented. Many went on to be quite famous, but no one had heard of them before LOTR. They were fresh faces.

An article I read a little while ago made it sound like unknown people were at least being auditioned for Bilbo, so I think it's at least possible that one of them will get the part. Same with the dwarves.

Also, I totally remember all the people obsessed with Orlando Bloom around when the movies came out, haha. Good times. :)

[Sowen]

Aye, good, funny times;)

I have read the same thing as you Emmie about unknown people - that is a good idea!

[Lanyare]

I was obsessed with Aragorn/Viggo Mortensen to put it mildly. :D Still watching movies he's in as often as I get the chance.

This one already sums it up for me, lol. :o

Seriously, I agree that every single one of them did a superb job, but I purposely voted for only one actor, and that is Viggo.

It is mentioned in this thread how a true actor can be recognized because he manages to truly embody, to actually become, his character. Viggo does the exact sort of thing as well. I've been watching several of his movies only because he's in it, a while ago. Admittedly, I have outgrown that (slightly) but he IS an outstanding actor.

At the time when the movies came out, I didn't really know about him. Though recently, I did find out that I already loved a movie he's in, one that I had seen ages ago and had almost forgotten about. It's a remake of The Vanishing Point.
Saw it listed among his filmography, and the title made me frown because it made a little bell ring. So I investigated, and indeed it turned out to be that movie I thought it was. So good to see that again, as well.

[Emmie]

I watched Hidalgo, A History of Violence and Eastern Promises mostly because of him. :p Actually, I've seen Vanishing Point, too, though I forgot about it until you mentioned it. I have yet to see The Road, though.

[Lanyare]

Hehe, I've even watched GI Jane and The Prophecy, Ruby Cairo, as well as A Perfect Murder, and Carlito's Way, and Daylight, 28 Days, Crimson Tide and the Psycho remake.
I have Eastern Promises waiting for me to watch, as well as that one Chainsaw Massacre movie he's in (the latter bought only because it has him in it).

There's a couple of movies with him on my wish list to see, still...

The Road's one of them, and so is Appaloosa. Two older ones that intrigue me, are A Walk on the Moon and The Passion of Darkly Noon, as well as Indian Runner.

Oh! Just found another movie I once saw with Viggo starring in it. I just can't believe it, lol. An old horrormovie named Prison. This is starting to become slightly freaky.

[Sowen]

from www.theonering.net

you will like it Lan:)

"In the event of Queen Margrethe II’s 70 years birthday, a good deal of people were knighted and Viggo Mortensen (being half Danish after all) was one of the lucky ones. The title given to Viggo is “Ridder af Dannebrog” which translates into “Knight of the Danish banner”.

[Lanyare]

Oh wow, awesome indeed! Always knew he had noble qualities. :p

Seriously though, he does deserve it.

[sompo]

i just vote for Elijah Wood...

[santino6250]

amazing post....