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LORD OF THE RINGS casting change: Stuart out, Viggo in'
Hey folks, Harry here. For the past three days I've been attempting to confirm the story that Stuart Townsend has left LORD OF THE RINGS and the part of Aragorn. I tried my best contacts on the project and have never heard back from them. However, I have had over 14 different folks from New Zealand and New Line tell me that he has left. Why did he leave... well that I can not say for certain. Depending upon who you talk to, you can hear that he just didn't fit into the mix quite the way they wanted or Peter let him go due to studio pressure or what have ya. Ultimately, I don't believe that is the important part. What is important is that we get our Aragorn/Strider part filled.... and right now according to long time AICN spy, The Ref, Viggo Mortensen has the offer sitting in front of him.
Now having seen Viggo in everything from GI JANE, A PERFECT MURDER, PORTRAIT OF A LADY and VANISHING POINT.... well... I like him. He's also quite a bit older than Stuart and a bit gruffier looking to my eye. I like this casting and think this all might work out for the best here.
Now as far as I know, Viggo has not yet signed, but the offer is allegedly there. Keep your fingers crossed, I believe he'll make a great Aragorn.
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I've held my peace until now but no more! David Bowie might look like a Keebler elf (albeit in an aged, jaded, post-burned out rock star sort of way) but he is no Elrond Halfelven! Someone here suggested Sam Neil in the part and I wholeheartedly concur. I wonder if they could get Joseph Fiennes to play Celeborn opposite Cate Blanchetts Galadriel... now that would be nice chemistry. Any word on the Uma/Ethan Eowyn/Faramir thing yet? And how about Ewan McGregor as Eomer. That would be good casting. Vanyar, Celt, Creamy Goodness, morGoth, gnosis... what do you guys think?
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I've just realized I've made a terrible mistake. And I've got to apologize, I must, because it concerns Harry. I have never said shit about Harry and I don't wish to start now. In my last post, I followed Tolkien's writing while changing the words (just to look back at our last days of talkback), but I inadvertantly left the word 'pranced' standing, and it referred to Father Geek. Next line was 'And good Harry boy followed his tail'... or something like that... err.... What I meant to write was that Father Geek was getting all upset about the talkbacker(s) (definitely not 'prancing'), and Harry was checking on him to keep him from banning and stuff. The words 'good' and 'boy' were merely put in to fill the line. Turns out they create a whole new meaning. I'm French, so playing with English can be hazardous. There was no sexual reference at all in my post, and I apologize to Harry and everyone if it seemed otherwise. And I apologize also for this apology. Go ahead, Harry, delete my two posts and let us never speak of it again.
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Remember the description of Boromir from "The Council of Elrond": 'And seated a little apart was a tall man with a fair and noble face, dark-heaired and grey-eyed, proud and stern of glance. He was cloaked and booted as if for a journey on horseback; and indeed though his garments were rich , and his cloak was lined with fur, theywere stained with long travel; his locks were shorn about his shoulders. ON a baldrid he wore a great horn tipped with silver that now was laid upon his knees.' Compare this with the description of Strider given in "At the Sign of the Prancing Pony": 'Sudenly Frodo noticed that a strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk. He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe curiously carved. His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen much wear and were now caked iwth mud. A travel-stained lcoak of heavy dark-green cloth was drawn close about him, and in spite of the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face; but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits.' Boromir is not supposed to look like a brute no matter how he acts. Aragorn/Strider is supposed to look lean and worn from a long life filled with toil.
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Oct 15, 1999 3:20:00 PM CDT
Please refer to the top of the page for a post by Mirror White a
by greenleaf
for greenleaves turning to red out of shame. If this ends up on top again, I'll make a fool of myself... again!
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One other note on the casting (and actually a plus for Viggo and the young ex-Aragorn Stuart) is that the actor needs to be pretty damn graceful - lithe even - bounding up Amon Hen, running over the fields of Rohan - wielding Anduril. Some of the choices I simply do not believe can pull that off - and Neill, Byrne, and (gasp!) Jeremy Irons!!! are in that can't pull it off column for me. Well, we shall see and soon I guess - I bet the DDL rumor is just that but I will keepmy fingers crossed. (Probably just a New Line ballon to show all of us they tried...). somebody should get the Townsend screen test now that it does not matter. Harry?
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Oct 15, 1999 4:33:29 PM CDT
Dark One you are my kind of Poster! (One who actually researche
by palintiri
Thanks for setting the record straight on Aragorns age. My own inner picture of him makes him appear to be in his forties because of his hard life. But I beleive they could have roughed up Stuart Townsand a bit with makeup. Lets just hope his replacement is a competent actor. I'm not crazy about Viggo but I'll withhold judgement for now. Oh and ditto for what Mirror White said.
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And moreover he was not only pure Numenorean but he was of the line of Elros and therefore even longer lived than the average Nuemnorean. At the end of his life (210) I picture him to be much as he appeared when he was crowned... perhaps with a few wrinkles around the eyes and perhaps a few stray grey hairs... but essentially young.
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I hope that when they cast for these two pivotal roles they keep in mind that there should be a ballpark resemblence between these two men underscoring the fact that Aragorn is descended father to son in unbroken line from Erlond's twin brother Elros. Just thought we should keep that in mind... now on to more important matters like casting the all-important parts of Ioreth and Bergil! :P
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Did someone just suggest that Keanu Reeves would be better then Viggo? Cripes, the only person Keanu Reeves would be better then is Pauly Shore and even thats stretching it!
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Good post on the word 'fey', Tolkien also used it in the sense of one who is seaking death when describing Eomers reaction to seeing his sister (and only remaining family member) stricken upon the battlefield and taking her for dead.
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The more I think about it the more I like the idea of Daniel Day Lewis as Strider/Aragorn just watching his performance in "The Age of Innocence" tells me has the acting chops for the part... I also remember "Last of the Mohicans" which shows he can handle the phsicallity of the role. He, by the way is a method actor who learned to hunt, skin and eat a deer just for that role! He was also up for the part of Louis in Interview with the Vampire and I can totally see him in that role as well! Maybe when they make the remake...
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How fun is it to read these articles so many years after?? Great to still have them available!!!
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