-
W
O
R
D
S

Cast & Crew
Sean Astin



Cast & Crew
Sir Ian Holm

Rumblings from Moriarty
Moriarty

I also managed this week to infiltrate the offices of one of the town's major talent agencies, where I took a long look at the casting that's going on for JAMBOREE. Oh, wait a minute... that's just the code name. I think you'd know it better by its real title -- LORD OF THE RINGS. By now, we've all debated the merits of Elijah Wood and Sean Astin as Frodo and Samwise. Personally, I like the choices. Astin's exactly what I pictured reading the scripts -- a thick guy with a big, wide open soul, kindness and heart wrapped up in an oversized, powerful body. Samwise is the trilogy's real lead, and I think Astin's got a lot of work ahead of him. It should pay off beautifully, especially surrounded by some of the other talent that's coming into focus.

My sources revealed that Ian Holm is in final negotiations to play Bilbo, something that made me do a little dance around my own private Hobbit hole. I think he's a wonderful choice, and I smile just thinking about his address to everyone just before slipping on the Ring and vanishing. Marvelous. I'm also dying to see him in his scenes with Gandalf. I know there's been a ton of speculation about this character, and I can understand it. There's something very iconic about him. He's one of the more immediately recognizable things about the series. That's why I wasn't surprised when I learned that a firm offer is out now to Ian McKellan, this year's favorite old man. I've heard a lot of great names bandied about like Christopher Lee, Patrick McGoohan, and Tom Baker, and it's been rumored that these actors may yet find their way to Middle Earth.

With McKellan, though, people forget that he's the same age as Nick Nolte, still in his early 50s. He just plays older very, very well. He will bring both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White to life in different and exciting ways, and I hope he is able to juggle his schedule between LORD OF THE RINGS, X-MEN, and MINORITY REPORT, where he may play a key role. If so, he'll join Uma Thurman, Ethan Hawke, Jeffrey Comb (believe it, folks -- he's Wormtongue), Bryan Boyd, and the still-negotiating Kate Winslet.