John Rhys-Davies rules out Hobbit return
John Rhys-Davies rules out Hobbit return
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Friday, 30, Oct 2009 02:38
By Lewis Bazley.
Actor John Rhys-Davies has stressed he will not be returning to his dwarf costume for the upcoming film adaptations of The Hobbit.
The 65-year-old starred as Gimli the dwarf in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films and could potentially return to filming in New Zealand for Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of The Hobbit.
Though the character of Gimli does not appear in The Hobbit, the dwarf's father Gloin features as part of the band of 13 dwarves who accompany Bilbo Baggins on his journey to the Lonely Mountain.
However, Rhys-Davies has ruled out returning to Middle Earth as a dwarf for Del Toro's two films based on JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit.
"I've already been asked and to be honest with you, I wouldn't," he told Empire. "I have already completely ruled it out. There's a sentimental part of me that would love to be involved again. Really I am not sure my face can take that sort of punishment any more."
He also quelled any hopes of a small cameo, saying: "Why would you want to do it if it was just a couple of shots? When you've been one of one, why would you want to be one of 13?"
Casting details about The Hobbit remain sketchy, with only Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis confirmed to return as Gandalf and Gollum respectively.
Rhys-Davies could, however, surface in another role, he revealed.
"I'd be interested in trying to create a different type of persona within... the thing," he explained. "That is challenging as an actor. I'd really prefer to play something quite different. Maybe an Elf.
"They've got a different set of problems with The Hobbit because you've got 13 dwarves, a whole band of them... You're trying to represent a whole race... You're trying to do for dwarves what The Lord of the Rings did for hobbits. "