DAVID WENHAM (‘Faramir’):
Do we get to see you more in action in this one?
Yeah, you get to see a little bit of action. You get to see Faramir defending Osgiliath and then attempting to retake Osgiliath as well.
Does he come more into his own in this third film?
Oh, I don’t know about that so much. You obviously get to see more of Faramir, you also get to see a little bit more of the relationship with his father, which is obviously one that is extremely fraught.
When you think back on life on the set, what image comes to mind immediately?
The image of Peter Jackson directing it. Peter Jackson is omnipresent and the films are Peter Jackson. That’s the one thing that is synonymous with “Lord of the Rings.”
What’s the hardest thing to leave behind from “Lord of the Rings?”
The people involved, really. Not necessary the costumes or the sets or anything, but the people. The people make projects like this.
Once you got on the set, did you ever think, “What am I getting myself into?”
Initially I was rather nervous just because of the scale of it. But after that, no. It was something that I was very lucky to be involved in.
And you’re also in “Van Helsing” coming up soon. What’s your character in that?
I play Van Helsing’s best friend who happens to be a monk.
A monk? Do you get in on any of the fighting?
Of sorts… but a totally different type of fighting.
JOHN NOBLE (‘Denethor’):
Why did the cast bond so well?
We shared such a special project because we were in an isolated part of the world doing it away from home. I’m not sure but it was very special and still is, enduring I think.
What will you miss the most now that the trilogy is complete?
I’ll never forget anything about Middle Earth. That’s part of my memory now so I won’t miss anything. It’ll always be there if I want to remember it. And then to watch it on the DVD, if I want to see that. Isn’t that lucky?
How does the big Helm’s Deep battle compare to the huge battle in this third movie?
Well Helm’s Deep was a massive battle but Pelennor Fields is probably more massive. I mean, they’re in different films so until they’re all compressed together… But Pelennor Fields is pretty amazing. There’s a few extra elements in there.
Your character is psychotic, a little off. Do you play him that way?
By the time the audience meets him, he’s losing his sanity so I have to play it that way.
When you get ready to play a character like that, do you consciously think about the fact that he’s supposed to be a little off or do you play him like he’s sane and doesn’t know he’s crazy? Do you know what I mean?
Yes, I do. It’s a very good question. No, I think you have to find the humanity in the character and then the deterioration is a part of the process - the journey of the character. It’s like playing King Lear. You can start off as a nice old man who finishes up crazy.
When you look back on this experience, what is the one image that immediately comes to mind?
It’s probably a moment when I send my son Faramir played by David Wenham off. It’s a tragic moment.
More interviews from the North American Premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King:"
Elijah Wood and Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom and Liv Tyler, Dominic Monaghan, and Viggo Mortensen, Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor, and John Rhys-Davies and Bernard Hill
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" Premiere Photos
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" Production Photos
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” Trailer, Credits, Interviews, and Movie News
