The Lord of the Rings

Starring

Cate Blanchett
Sean Bean
Viggo Mortensen
Orlando Bloom

The Fellowship of the Ring

Even the Smallest Creature Can Change the Course of the Future

"I basically did it so I could have the ears"

Galadriel is Queen of Lothlorien, and Lady of the Golden Wood. She is the mother of Celebrian and grandmother to Arwen Evenstar.

Two of the major female characters in The Lord of The Rings are introduced in The Fellowship of The Ring: the brave she-elf Arwen and the powerful, soul-probing Elf Queen Galadriel, played by Academy Award nominee Cate Blanchett.

Cate Blanchett was also drawn to her character’s fascinating strength. "I loved playing Galadriel because she is so iconic. She is the one in The Fellowship of The Ring who truly tests Frodo," says Blanchett. "I also think she has a profound message to give about taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions. And, Yes, I have to admit I have always wanted to have pointy ears!"

Blanchett was astonished by how completely the world of Middle-earth and its many cultures had been thought out by the filmmakers. "By the time I started working, there was such a strong and real-life sense of the various cultures, their histories and their hopes for the future," she notes. "It was really like becoming part of a whole different universe. I’ve never experienced anything like it before."

Go not to the Elves for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.

Boromir is a proud warrior and the eldest son of Denethor II, Steward of Gondor and Minas Tirith. At the Council of Elrond he is chosen as a companion in the Fellowship of the Ring.

That's some new information

Seek for the Sword that was broken:
, In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be councils taken
Stronger than Morgul-spells.
There shall be shown a token
That Doom is near at hand,
For Isildur's Bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand.

Fellowship of the Ring, Book II Chapter II

Like what? Maybe we don't want to know...

Also joining the Fellowship is the man Boromir, a valiant warrior who lacks respect for The Ring’s devastating power. Boromir is portrayed by Sean Bean, who liked that the character "brings the human element into the Fellowship. Boromir has the human qualities of being honorable and brave but also having a very clear opinion about everything." "In the beginning," he continues, "he sees The Ring simply as a solution to the problems of his people. But he finds out that it isn’t quite so clear-cut, especially as he becomes susceptible to its powers."

Aragorn, a human raised by elves and the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor is a close companion of Gandalf's, and an important member of the Fellowship.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes of fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

~Fellowship of the Ring, Book I, Chapter X

Another mysterious character introduced in The Fellowship of The Ring is Aragorn, a heroic man and warrior, played with trademark intensity by Viggo Mortensen. Mortensen got so into the role it was rumored he was living in the forest in Aragorn’s torn, mud-stained clothes! Says Peter Jackson: "Viggo embraced the character so completely it’s difficult to imagine the two being separate now." Adds Barrie M. Osborne: "Viggo is the perfect actor to play a man who is struggling to redeem himself from his ancestry and his heritage. He’s incredibly dedicated. He’s the kind of an actor who one day had his tooth knocked out by a sword and actually asked if they could superglue it back on so he could finish the scene. He became Aragorn, and he brings a real power to the role."

Mortensen felt a strong personal connection to the project: "I’m Celtic and Scandinavian, so I was raised on the myths Tolkien used to inspire The Lord of The Rings," he says. "It’s part of my heritage." The actor was also intrigued by Aragorn’s primal, self-reliant brand of heroism. "He can survive in nature, live from it, read its signs and live happily, not needing anyone, not relying on anything but his own knowledge and discoveries," he observes. "But now he has to take on more responsibility, and it’s not clear where it will lead him."

Exactly what you should tell her...
too bad she doesn't listen

Hobbit Drinking Song

Ho! Ho! Ho! To the bottle I go
To heal my heart and drown my woe.
Rain my fall and wind may blow,
And many miles be still to go,
But under a tall tree I will lie,
An let the clouds go sailing by.

Fellowship of the Ring, Book I, Chapter IV: A Shortcut to Mushrooms