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stimulate the trilogy was a massive labor for Jackson , and a crucial part of that cognitive operation wascasting the perfect role player for each iconic role . But the actors who end up playing each character in the trilogy were n’t always the first selection .
Daniel Day-Lewis As Aragorn
Peter Jackson ’s top choice for the role of Aragorn was Daniel Day - Lewis . The splendidly picky actor turned down the part forthwith , but since Jackson was desperate for him to act the role , he kept offer Day - Lewis more and more money until he eventually impart up .
Meanwhile , the studio offered the role to Russell Crowe , but there was a programing clash withA Beautiful Mind , and Crowe did n’t thinkThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy would be successful enough for the box office percentage he was being offer to be worth it .
Sean Connery As Gandalf
The studio executive paving the way for Peter Jackson ’s gargantuan adaptation ofThe Lord of the Ringsstipulated that Gandalf had to be play by a major movie whiz . So , the role was offer to Sean Connery , but he turn it down because he does n’t like the fantasy musical style . He’dpreviously turned down the persona of Dumbledorefor the same reason .
Connery later enjoin thatIan McKellen was the perfect pick to play Gandalf . Executives were so do-or-die to get Connery in the character that they offer to give him 15 % of the trilogy ’s total box seat office receipt , which would ’ve earned the original Bond a whopping $ 400 million — more than any actor has ever earned for a theatrical role .
Liam Neeson As Boromir
Peter Jackson ab initio wanted Liam Neeson to play Boromir . However , theSchindler ’s Liststarturned it down , as he did n’t require to get killed off in the first part of another trilogy after playing Qui - Gon Jinn inStar Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace .
As a immense fan of the books , Bruce Willis lobbied for the theatrical role of Boromir , but Jackson was n’t interested in honk him .
James Corden As Sam Gamgee
Ever since he go hostingThe Late Late Show , it seems insufferable to get James Corden off our screen , as he demonstrate up in several movies a year and , in true Jimmy Fallon way , everything he does inexplicably goes viral .
But just like everybody else , Corden was once a struggling actor . He ’s said that his first ever audition was for the purpose of Samwise Gamgee inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy . Of course , Sean Astin turned out to be the idealistic casting selection .
Uma Thurman As Arwen
Prior to the casting of Liv Tyler , the role of Arwen was extend toPulp Fictionstar Uma Thurman , but she could n’t make the shoot because she was significant at the time .
After she give birth and the trilogy ’s monolithic production was still on-going , Thurman and her then - husband Ethan Hawke were approached about play Faramir and Éowyn , but they turned down the piece to focus on raising the baby .
Nicolas Cage As Aragorn
After Peter Jackson ’s choice of Daniel Day - Lewis and the studio apartment ’s choice of Russell Crowe both become down the role of Aragorn , the director and the studio apartment decided on Nicolas Cage for the role , but he did n’t want to make the prison term loyalty call for to shoot three whole pic .
finally , Stuart Townsend was cast , but a few days into shot , Jackson deemed him to be too young for the fictional character and dismiss him . Then , he was replaced by Viggo Mortensen .
Kate Winslet As Éowyn
Peter Jackson initially approached Kate Winslet forthe part of Éowyn , but she turned down the crack . At the time , the officially stated reason was that there was an issue with programing .
However , there have been hearsay that Winslet wanted to distance herself from blockbuster film after the unprecedented fame bring on byTitanic ’s succeeder .
Jake Gyllenhaal As Frodo Baggins
Before the cast squad see Elijah Wood , Jake Gyllenhaal was near the top of the shortlist for the theatrical role of Frodo Baggins . Gyllenhaal was even ask to do a private audition for Peter Jackson himself .
However , no one told the actor that the role would expect him to do a British accent mark . When this was spring upon him at the private auditory modality and he attempt to ad - lib one , he bed it up so gravely that he was take away from the shortlist then and there .
Patrick Stewart As Gandalf
Peter Jackson met with Patrick Stewart to discuss the role of Gandalf , but theStar Trekactor was disappointed by the pass , as he want to play a differentLord of the Ringscharacter ( although he ’s never submit which one ) .
Still , he was unforced to register the script to see if he liked it . regrettably , he did n’t .
The Beatles As Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, And Gollum
Years before Peter Jackson would add the Tolkien epic to the screenland , the Beatles asked Stanley Kubrick if he ’d direct them in a cinema adjustment ofThe Lord of the Rings . It would ’ve starredJohn Lennon as Gollum , Paul McCartney as Frodo , George Harrison as Gandalf , and Ringo Starr as Sam .
There are a duet of rumor about why this edition never occur ; either Kubrick considered the book to be unfilmable or Tolkien freeze off the aim version .
NEXT : Amazon ’s Lord Of The Rings Series : 5 Reasons We ’re Excited ( & 5 Why We ’re Worried )
