The Southland Times
Waiting to Audition

Hundreds Audition to be Extras in Lord of the Rings
Meaghan Miller

Hundreds turned out at the weekend for their chance to play a small part in the Lord of the Rings triology in Queenstown next month.

Auditions were held for extras to play women, children and old people from the Middle Earth clan of Rohan people. Men and young boys were also needed to play soldiers.

The women and children were required to be blonde, light brown or red-heads.

Riverton mother Tracy McNeilly couldn't resist and drove her three fair and red-haired children to Queenstown for the audition.

"It's a bit of an adventure for them," she said.

Queenstown woman Fiona Clayton said the chance to play an extra for a couple of days on a movie such as Lord of the Rings was an opportunity that wouldn't come twice.

"It's a chance to be a fly on the wall and see a major film production in the making," she said.

People had to wait only about 10 minutes for their photograph and measurements to be taken, unlike last year when thousands queued for more than an hour during auditions in Queenstown.

The movie is being filmed in New Zealand and is directed by Kiwi film-maker Peter Jackson.