In this hilarious guest appearance, Christopher Plummer reveals to Conan O’Brien that he turned down an iconic role from The Lord of the Rings.

Who all turned down the role of Gandalf?

I certainly wasn't the first choice for Gandalf,” McKellen said. “Tony Hopkins turned it down. Sean Connery certainly did. They're all coming out of the woodwork now, and I hope they feel silly.”

Who was originally supposed to play Gandalf?

The Big Picture. According to Ian McKellen, Anthony Hopkins and Sean Connery turned down the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. David Bowie, Christopher Plummer, and Patrick Stewart were also considered for the role.

Why did Sean Connery refuse Gandalf?

Sean Connery previously claimed he turned down the part of Gandalf because he “never understood” the world of Middle Earth. “I read the book. I read the script. I saw the movie.

Who turned down the role of Aragorn?

Summary. Daniel Day-Lewis was director Peter Jackson's first choice for Aragorn, but he turned down the role due to his aversion to big-budget franchises. Russell Crowe was also considered for the role, but after a phone call with Jackson, it became clear that the director had other stars in mind.

Harry Potter: Sir Ian McKellen reveals why he turned down Dumbledore role - BBC News

Who auditioned for Legolas?

He first auditioned for the role of Faramir but the director, Peter Jackson, cast him as Legolas instead.

Who turned down the role of Éowyn?

Uma Thurman turned down the role of Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings films because she had just had her first child and didn't want to move to New Zealand for several years of filming.

Why did Viggo Mortensen turn down Hobbit?

However, he had a very sensible reason for turning down the prequel—his character is nowhere to be found in original novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, which served as a prequel to the Rings saga and takes place 60 years earlier.

Why did Russell Crowe turned down Lord of the Rings?

While a role like that set him up for being a fantastic epic hero, he mentioned feeling uncomfortable if he were cast, telling Howard Stern: “I didn't think Peter Jackson actually wanted me on the film. I think he was forced into talking to me because it was a moment in time where everybody wanted me in everything”.

How much money did Sean Connery lose from Lord of the Rings?

In the original trilogy, Connery was offered the role of Gandalf, but he passed on playing the wise wizard as he reported didn't understand the script. With Connery's decision, not only did we lose out on seeing his performance as the white/gray wizard, but he supposedly lost out on a whopping $450 million.

Who turned down the role of Frodo?

Jake Gyllenhaal tried out for Frodo, but did no research on the role and bombed so badly that he was advised to fire his agent. Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart were both asked to be Gandalf. Stewart was just plain not interested in the character, and Connery passed as he did not understand the script.

Who else auditioned for Arwen?

The role of Arwen, originally played by Liv Tyler, was initially offered to Uma Thurman. However, the actress was pregnant with her then-husband Ethan Hawke's child. In an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Thurman revealed that she considered this decision her biggest career mistake.

Who was supposed to play Galadriel?

Liv Tyler, who played Arwen in the films, was considered for the role of Galadriel but ultimately was not cast in that role.It is also worth noting that Cate Blanchett had previously worked with director Peter Jackson on the film "Heavenly Creatures," which helped establish a good working relationship between the two.

Who was the first choice for Gandalf?

“I certainly wasn't the first choice for Gandalf. [Anthony] Hopkins turned it down. Sean Connery certainly did.

Who else auditioned for Éowyn?

Action heroine and frequent Tarantino collaborator Uma Thurman was the first choice for Éowyn. However, she had to decline. She had just had her first child -- actress Maya Hawke -- and chose to stay home with her rather than fly out to New Zealand to film.

Who was originally going to be Gandalf?

Ian McKellen portrayed Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings film series (2001–2003), directed by Peter Jackson, after Sean Connery and Patrick Stewart both turned down the role.

Why did Nicolas Cage turned down Lord of the Rings?

“I turned down Lord of the Rings and I turned down Matrix because I didn't want to go to New Zealand for three years or Australia for three years because I needed to be home with my son Weston. That's a fact.”

What actor turned down Gladiator?

Mel Gibson – Gladiator

Not wanting to typecast in this kind of role, Mel Gibson turned down the part. The role later went to Russel Crowe, while the movie went on to win 5 Academy Awards. After the movie, Crowe went on to become one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood while Gibson's career went into steep decline.

Who did Peter Jackson want to play Aragorn?

Peter Jackson Wanted Daniel Day-Lewis as Aragorn

The actor at the top of Jackson's list was none other than Daniel Day-Lewis.

Who is the richest actor in Lord of the Rings?

Why did Sean Connery turned down Lord of the Rings?

Despite this lucrative proposition, Connery remained unmoved. The Scottish actor's reason for turning down the role was quite straightforward: he didn't understand the series. “I read the book. I read the script.

Why did Ian McKellen almost quit The Hobbit?

“I cried… and the whole studio heard”: Sir Ian McKellen Almost Ruined 'The Hobbit' After Breaking Down On-Set Due To His Hatred For CGI.

Why does Aragorn rejects Éowyn?

Éowyn falls in love with Aragorn, but though he respects her, he does not return her feelings, as he is betrothed to the elf Arwen. As Aragorn points out, her duty is with her people; she has to shoulder the responsibility of ruling Rohan in Théoden's stead when the war-host of Rohan go to war.

Why was Éowyn dying?

Her constitution already weakened by loneliness and despair, combined with physical injuries, Éowyn then succumbed to the Black Breath. Théoden, not knowing that she was nearby, told Merry with his dying words that she had been "dearer than daughter" to him.

Who almost starred in Lord of the Rings?

1 Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke had his film breakthrough in Dead Poets Society alongside acting legend Robin Williams. Coincidentally, Hawke was married to Thurman at the time of the Lord of the Rings audition and was allegedly super interested in the role of Faramir, the younger brother of Boromir.