The Lord of the Rings Cast: Where Are They Now?

Twenty years after the epic film trilogy ended, how has the cast of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Lord of the Rings been so far?

Since the trilogy's epic finale in 2003, many of The Lord of the Rings' actors have gone on to have illustrious careers, but what exactly are they doing? Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. dominated the box office and awards charts for the third year in a row. Tolkien's novels gave big-budget fantasy a run for its money and showed that genre was a serious Oscar contender. One of the most successful aspects of the trilogy was its stellar cast, and if the actors weren't already stars before they arrived in Middle-earth, they ended up becoming household names thanks to their roles in Lord of the Rings.

The Lord of the Rings films feature both veterans and new faces, representing a variety of disciplines, from Ian McKellan's theatrical expertise to Andy Serkis' pantomime. These films actually achieve a lot of effects, like how they make the hobbit seem small, which allows the actors' performances to shine without the dullness of modern CG. Acting in fantasy films has traditionally been overlooked, but The Lord of the Rings cast proved doubters wrong. All in all, acting is one of the most crucial parts Trilogy, some careers are still thriving thanks to strong appearances in The Lord of the Rings.

Liv Tyler (Arwen Undómiel)

When Liv Tyler first appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, she was one of the brightest rising stars, and she had already made a name for herself in the films Armageddon, Things You're Going To Do, and Empire Records. Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy left out a lot in the original books, but Taylor's role as Arvin Udomir was actually amplified in order to allow more of the young star's presence. Taylor hasn't missed a beat since she starred in the trilogy, where she later co-starred in Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, James Grey's Interstellar and the MCU's Hulk, as well as in "The Leftovers." , "Whore" and "9-" recurring 1-1: Lone Star.

Billy Boyd (Pippin Took)

Billy Boyd was largely unknown until he became a hit in Middle-earth as one of the goofy hobbit duo Merry and Pippin Know. By the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he had appeared in other big-budget films, including Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, but he struggled to find another role that would define his career. He voiced the character Glen/Glenda in the 2004 children's show The sequel Seed of Chucky and Chucky TV finally brings Glen/Glenda back in 2022, with Boyd reprising the role. Boyd has otherwise worked mostly in independent films and the occasional one-off appearance on TV shows.

Dominic Monaghan (Merry Brandybuck)

Dominic Monaghan, who made his debut in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, balances his comedic performance as Merry with that of Boyd. Returning to television after the trilogy, Monaghan played Charlie Pace on the hit series Lost, appearing in 65 episodes of the entire series. His career has progressed steadily since The Lord of the Rings, from blockbusters like X-Men Prequel: Wolverine to his TV series Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan , which aired from 2012 to 2016, allowed him to express his love for nature.

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli)

While it can be argued that John Rhys-Davis' return to Indiana Jones was a mistake, there is no denying that his legacy is closely tied to his appearances in the team as Salah. Long before his Lord of the Rings role, he made a career in genre projects like Raiders of the Lost Ark The Ark and the late 90s sci-fi TV show Slides. Rhys-Davis provides the cast with a veteran presence, and his unique voice is a perfect fit for the self-aware Gimli. Since then, the actor has kept busy with indie film roles, with a recent string of biblical epics expressing his fervent faith.

Christopher Lee (Saruman)

Arguably the most experienced actor in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Christopher Lee was in the industry for over 50 years before playing Saruman. Lee, who defined his career playing Dracula multiple times in the Hammer horror flick, brings the perfect creep factor to this villainous wizard. After that, Lee teamed up with director Tim Burton on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and played the role of Count Dooku in the Star Wars prequels. Interestingly, Lee had an accomplished singing career, performing on multiple metal albums, before his death in 2015 at the age of 93. It's just a technical marvel, but it draws the audience's attention to his unique talent as a performer. Serkis starred in one of the best King Kong adaptations when he reunited with Peter Jackson in 2005 to bring the great ape to life, cementing his status as a master of motion capture. Serkis' career has taken him through other big franchises, including through Andor, where he even landed directing roles on 2021's Venom: Carnage and 2018's Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle Book.

Andy Serkis (Gollum)

Cate Blanchett, already nominated for an Oscar for her starring role in 1998's Elizabeth, made her debut as the royal elf Galadry in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring It was well known during Galadriel's time. She then won her first Academy Award in 2005 for her performance as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator. Blanchett, who won another Oscar for 2013's "Blue Jasmine," rose to the top of Hollywood's elite and is now one of the highest-grossing women in film history. In addition to her bizarre role in Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, Blanchett's 2022 credits include the film Tár ), she won yet another award for her performance in the film.

Cate Blanchett (Galadriel)

Viggo Mortensen had been in the industry for many years before his breakthrough role As Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, his performance is one of the strongest in the series. Mortensen then formed an artistic partnership with director David Cronenberg and starred in several of his films, including 2005's A History of Violence. Mortensen's other pursuits include publishing poetry and exhibiting artwork and photography in various exhibitions. Mortensen later resumed his relationship with Cronenberg on 2022's vivid and unsettling Future Sins, where he returns once again with the Canadian director.

Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn)

After years of being a child actor, The Lord of the Rings offered Sean Austin an opportunity to shed the label and reintroduce himself to audiences as an adult. The former Goonies star does a great job in the role, which makes him a loyal and likable character, so Samwise is right in his wheelhouse. Astin didn't quite reach the heights of a trilogy after the trilogy ended, but he's been solid on one-off TV shows and has transitioned into proper voice acting roles. Astin saw yet another revival when he co-starred in season 2 of Stranger Things, playing Bob Newby and adding a touch of nostalgia to the '80s flick. exhibit.

Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee)

With all the speculation about whether Legolas will appear in The Ring of Power, it's clear that the influence of the Lord of the Rings series is still strong. Orlando Bloom was relatively new to the industry when he first played Legolas, the fraternity's resident elf, but he wasted no time jumping from one sprawling franchise to another. one. Bloom is also remembered for his many years as Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, and he continues to work consistently in film and television. Since 2019, his ongoing stint as Rycroft on the hit series Carnival Row sees him do double duty as actor and producer.

Orlando Bloom (Legolas)

Playing the right Gandalf was necessary for the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Ian McKellen was indeed the glue that held the franchise together, even carrying over into the Hobbit films. After playing Magneto in 2000's X-Men, McKellen basically played two different characters, Gandalf the Gray and White, and is no stranger to franchise shows. After playing various roles over the ensuing years, McKellen continued his successful stage work when he starred in Hamlet in 2022. He didn't give up film and television entirely, McKellen appeared in the 2019 adaptation of "Cats," where he was able to combine his theater expertise with his charisma in blockbuster films.

Ian McKellen (Gandalf)

Elijah Wood's childhood and teenage years had successful roles in films such as The Good Son and Far Away, and his starring role in The Lord of the Rings was a natural progression of his evolving career. Frodo Baggins helped put him on the map, while Elijah Wood has done a lot since LOTR ended, including quirky indie roles and Hollywood blockbusters. Following the 2016-2017 TV series Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Wood became an independent producer on horror flicks like Mandy and devoted much of his time behind the scenes.

Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins)

More: Who is Tom Bombadil (and why was he cut from the Lord of the Rings movies?)