From Rebecca Murray,
Your Guide to Hollywood Movies.
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Having footage cut from the theatrical version, can you sympathize with Christopher Lee’s stance about having Saruman cut out completely from the final film?
BILLY BOYD: Yeah. I mean, because it meant that he wasn’t in it. The trilogy – it meant that he wouldn’t be in the trilogy. You can see both sides, you know. It does look like you’re finishing the second movie at the start of the third, and what Pete wanted was the third one to start. So you can see both sides. But as an actor, you can see yeah, I wanted my character to finish it. You can see both sides.

Did you record commentaries for the extended DVD?
DAVID WENHAM: Yes, we did record commentaries. I must say I found that a rather weird experience. There was a great deal of time passed between when we actually shot the original footage and when we went back to talk about it. And I have a shocking memory. I have a terrific short term memory but my long term’s very bad. I also did mine by myself. It would have been probably easier if I’d had somebody else there to bounce off of and to sort of say, “Do you remember when…?” I didn’t have that so my commentary, if they just ran that, there would be a lot of air because there’s a lot of parts I don’t remember.

Were you just sitting in a chair with headphones on, watching TV?
DAVID WENHAM: That’s exactly what it is. It’s a very cold [thing]. I think they’re different for different people. For me, it was absolutely extremely difficult. I had to go back into the dark recesses of my mind and you know, I don’t want to go there (laughing).

Have you watched all the extras on all the DVDs?
DAVID WENHAM: No, I haven’t sat down and watched all three.

BILLY BOYD: Do you know that I’ve never seen any of them in the cinema, besides what I’ve seen at a premiere? I’ve never seen them with just an audience.

DAVID WENHAM: I did. There was a press day or something coming up that I needed to freshen up on. It was like one of the last days of “The Two Towers” and I thought I better go and have a look at it. And it was great – I loved it.

BILLY BOYD: I wish I would have done it. Elijah [Wood] and Dom [Monaghan] and them did it, and they said it was great.

Can you watch yourself onscreen?
DAVID WENHAM: Yeah, I don’t have any problem with that at all. I can be extremely objective.

What was the Oscar night like?
BILLY BOYD: It was a riot. The coolest thing was, a lot of these guys – a lot of the New Zealanders probably haven’t even left New Zealand before. And there they are hanging in Hollywood, and up on the stage getting an Oscar. It was just the weirdest thing – because you know them. These shows can sometimes be a bit boring, you know? [The winners] go up and thank a lot of people you’ve never heard of. But because “Lord of the Rings” won so many and there were people that we knew, and they were thanking people that we knew, it made it a really exciting night. You’re like, “Ohhh, that’s great! He got mentioned.” It was cool. Plus I got to sit real close to Prince.

Was that like a wish fulfilled?
BILLY BOYD: Pretty much, yeah (laughing). I love listening to his music.

Did you introduce yourself to him?
BILLY BOYD: No, I didn’t. I wish I had. I’m always scared that I’m going to be disappointed. I’ve heard too many sort of horror stories of people meeting their idol and [being disappointed].

PAGE 3: Future Projects and Expectations