Is it nice to get out of your costume and into a tuxedo?
It’s nice to get out of chainmail and not to have that prosthetic eating my face away.
Is it possible to prepare for this kind of a reception by fans?
I knew this was going to happen very early on. I’d seen something like it with “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” I figured that this would probably be a lot bigger than “Raiders.”
Can you describe the bond formed on the set?
I have to tell you that I spent so much time in make-up that I missed out on a lot of the fun and the frolics, and the bonding of the film experience. They, however, made wonderful friendships and wonderful relationships. I do believe that they hold onto those things and it will enrich their lives in years to come. They’re a great bunch of young actors, and not-so-young actors, and they’ve done well.
What will you miss the most about working on "The Lord of the Rings” trilogy?
I’m going to miss New Zealand and the New Zealanders. They are a wonderful people and I would urge you all to go and visit them and see Middle Earth for yourself.
When you were filming, did you ever wonder what you’d gotten yourself into?
I knew what to expect and it does not exceed my expectations. I expected every bit of this madness and a very good thing, too.
Do we see any dwarf tossing in the third movie?
We see no dwarf tossing. We see very little of the dwarf, actually, in the third movie.
No!
It’s a tragic oversight. Frankly we all know that “The Lord of the Rings” is basically a dwarf tale surrounded by hobbits and others. They seemed to have overlooked this in this one. They seem to be concentrating more on The Ring and what happens to it. Details, details, details.
How does the battle scene of Pelennor Fields compare to the Battle of Helms Deep?
A different order in scale of battle. It’s extraordinarily complicated filmmaking. One of the reasons why I think P.J. should be a contender this year for Oscar is that the techniques he has developed really make it possible for extra things to be done by filmmakers. He’s extended the possibilities of the art.
Would you ever do another film of this scale?
I loved to, but here’s the thing: no prosthetic make-up!
BERNARD HILL (‘Theodon’):
Do we get to see you in action in “The Return of the King?”
Oh sure, in a big style.
Is your character’s involved in a lot of fight scenes?
Yeah, I’ve got a great moment where I whip the troops up. I ride down the front rank with the spears and the sword and stuff - very heroic.
Did you ever wonder what you got yourself into while you were filming this?
No, not ever. If there was any kind of moments or problems with the film, I just looked around and I was in New Zealand, and it solved all the problems.
What do you think about Peter Jackson and the buzz about Oscar this time around?
I don’t know really. I don’t think he’s bothered, and I don’t think he should be. I think he’s made these… I mean it would be lucky to get that kind of recognition from the Academy. Of course, everybody would like that because you’ve been voted for by your peers – your fellow filmmakers. I’m sure that for him that would be a massive tribute and
a very welcome one. But if he doesn’t get it, I don’t think he’s going to be depressed about it.
When you think about working on these films, is there one day or one scene that always comes to mind?
I think the day that we did the Pelennor Fields scene.
That wasn’t done just in one day, was it?
No, we did it over three days but the first day was a very special day. We did some great work on that day. It was difficult and I was a bit frightened and I was also unsure because it was my idea to ride down the front rank. I kind of persisted in that, and pushed it very hard, to make sure that it was in the script. I kind of upgraded myself as a rider in order to be able to do it. To do that was a real big pay-off and it works really brilliantly well, and I’m really happy about it.
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 David Wenham and John Noble, Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor, and Viggo Mortensen
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"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
