Bilbo Baggins Casting
Written by ady on April 11, 2008 – 12:31 pm -
TheSpoof.Com has come up with its cast list for the Hobbit movies including the suggestion that Adam Sandler (shown right) gets the part of Gollum because the jewishness he brings will allow the audience to feel the tension.
The site which allows anyone to post their spoof news stories also puts forward Donny Osmond for the lead part of Bilbo Baggins because of his big feet.
While it had me laughing, it also got me thinking about the Bilbo part. Ian Holm is going to be near 80 years old by the time shooting finishes so I can’t see him getting the part although with todays technology, nothing is impossible. They could certainly make him look younger but my concern would be whether he will be up for such a hard schedule of shooting 2 movies at once.
I would love him to take the role if he thought he was fit and able enough but if not, who would you want to see playing the part Bilbo Baggins?
I’ve seen Martin Freeman touted as being perfect for the part and he’s certainly got the face for it but I’m not sure I see him in the part. How about Elijah Wood returning to Middle Earth to play Bilbo Baggins? We know he makes a convincing Hobbit and the family ties would explain off the resemblance.
I’ve even read Robin Williams may be put forward for the part because of his hairy feet:-)
Who would you like to see get the part?
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Posted in Casting |
April 11th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
How about Martin Freeman, from Hitchhiker’s Guide (the movie) and The Office (BBC)? Yanked from his element and faced with strange new situations, his face is the very definition of flummoxed.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
The problem I would have with Martin is that he’s too funny. Fair enough its the dead pan humor but when I watched The Hitchikers Guide I just kept seeing him in his Office role.
April 11th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Elijah Wood’s face is too distinctive to pass off as a young Ian Holm. may i suggest Colin Firth. he looks exactly like Ian Holm as a young man, plus he’s at that perfect age (near 50) that coincides with book Bilbo as he set out from the Shire.
April 13th, 2008 at 5:44 am
ooohh colin firth would be neat idea.
he does indeed look like a younger version of ian holm.
elijah wood would definitely be able to play the part, but he’d be way too recognizable as frodo, and i don’t think people would be able to get past that.
April 13th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Colin Firth is a brilliant suggestion
April 15th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Colin Firth may look like Ian Holm but isn’t he a bit old. 50 is still very young in hobbit years, but like hobbit years.
I think Elijah Wood would do very well, and the similarity to Frodo could be just family resemblance. In the books Frodo is meant to look a lot like Bilbo, and I’m sure with the ise of some make-up he could be made to look slightly different.
April 15th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
I would rather it were an unknown actor just like the LOTR films had. They should concentrate on bringing the story to life instead of pulling in a few more punters on the basis of a Hollywood name. They already have their audience ready & waiting! Plus alot of big celebrities are WAY overrated.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:08 am
I am sitting here mulling over Colin Firth as a hobbit. Though he does resemble Ian Holm, he is much taller. And Colin Firth adds so much sophistication to his roles, would he really be able to pull off being a bumbling hobbit? It’s difficult for this Jane Austen fan to turn Mr. Darcy into a hobbit. However, as a fellow Tolkien fan, why not put Peter Jackson into the role. He doesn’t need to direct. He’s always been Bilbo to me!
April 16th, 2008 at 12:15 am
50 hobbit years is about middle aged in human years (40ish), thats why i said that Firth would be perfect.
also remember that Bilbo aged normally until he got the Ring– which is in his middle age (50) and stays that way for the next 60 years.
Frodo on the other hand receives the Ring when he was in his tweens (about 18 in human years), and remains looking that way until he destroys it at Mt Doom, hence Wood being cast perfectly back then (and not too young as many seem to criticize).
the only thing i could think of that would go against Firth is his height (he’s 6ft tall), but then again Bilbo would mostly be surround by dwarves, and most dwarfish looking actors are pretty big guys themselves– just look at John Rhys Davies (Gimli) and Geno Acevedo (make-up artist and dwarf extra)
April 16th, 2008 at 1:31 am
I have to say I haven’t been able to think of anyone better than Firth since Steelsheen put him up for the part although I’m watching Love Actually at the moment and Freeman definitely has height on his side were he up for the part competing with Firth.
April 17th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
What? Andy serkis will not take the play?
How could this ever be possible??????
April 17th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
I’d love to see a totally new person to play bilbo.. not some actor we have all seen in a movie.. and heard about.. That way you can totally indentify the actor with Bilbo..
that for me ,would be the best option!
April 20th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Some roles wouldn’t work with their former characters, such in prequels. How could you imagine:
-Return of the King with a different Aragorn
-The Two Towers with a different Frodo
-The Hobbit with a different Gandalf
-The Hobbit with a different Gollum.
Ian Mckellen said that he would love to do the role. The movie will be succesful if Serkis is casted.
April 25th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I would explode if Adam Sandler was remotely involved with the Hobbit.
April 29th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
[...] as Gandalf. As I’d suggested though, he is worried Sir Ian Holm might be too old for the casting of Bilbo but won’t let on who he has in mind for the [...]
April 30th, 2008 at 11:38 am
I think that it would be refreshing to see a new face playing Bilbo as Firth and freeman already have character roles that are embedded with all of us. Wood would somehow make sense but i’d rather it was an unknown actor who has a reputation to build.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Considering hobbits come of age at 33 rather than 21 , you can determine from this that the age of the actor cast to play Bilbo should be around two thirds Bilbo’s age in the Hobbit. So around 33.
May 1st, 2008 at 9:06 am
I think Peter jackson himself would make a great Bilbo Baggins!!! Other than that I agree it should be an unknown as opposed to a big Hollywood name. I was so glad to hear that Andy Serkis is coming back as Gollum and equally Ian McKellen as Gandalf, it would seem totally wrong for anyone else to play these parts!!
May 2nd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Colin Firth is too tall…meh!
My mate looks just like Gollum without the CGI he would save a fortune on special effects. Anyway for Bilbo - Philip Seymour Hoffman!
May 2nd, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Colin Firth is a good choice but for a younger face how about Ryan Gosling?
May 4th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
What about Ewan Mc Gregor as Bilbo?
And Dolores O´Riordan for the soundtrack (Enya, Annie Lennox)
May 5th, 2008 at 2:59 am
[i]Colin Firth is a good choice but for a younger face how about Ryan Gosling?[/i]
– wasnt Gosling fired from Peter Jackson’s ‘Her Lovely Bones’? i dont think he’d want to be involved in anything that has him working with PJ again.
[i]And Dolores O´Riordan for the soundtrack [/i]
excellent suggestion! i’d do cartwheels if they managed to get her involved on the soundtrack.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I think Ewan Mc Gregor would be a great bilbo.
May 10th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Gael Garcia
May 21st, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Ewan McGregor - good call. I can see that working.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
[...] I’m still hoping for Colin Firth who was suggested in the comments here by Steelsheen and since it was suggested, I haven’t been able to picture anyone else in thr [...]
May 29th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Paul Giamatti -I know it’s weird, but he has that weird every-man quality and can act with great nuance. Definitely not a typical hero.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Call me crazy, but my choice for Bilbo is the actor Steve Zahn. Always thought he looked like the perfect hobbit.
June 11th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Steve Zahn bearded looks convincing, not so much shaven. Who said Ewen McGreggor? anyone complaining about Daniel Radcliffe (HP)- ditto Ewen.
Paul Giamatti- erm, no way.
I agree, unknown (ish, I guess, since he’s got to be a good actor and 30ish) is the way to go.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
What about Jude Law as Bilbo?
June 26th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Yea, I saw James McAvoy in his new movie trailer, and without looking at any websites I realized that James McAvoy would make a perfect title role hobbit. Then I come online and start looking at things, and it looks like a lot of other people had the same thought!!! Yes, he would be great as younger Bilbo.
June 28th, 2008 at 2:06 am
If Adam Sandler plays any part in this movie I will bust a nut.
June 30th, 2008 at 2:17 am
what the hell??????????who said Adam Sandler was staring in the movie?the same casting criteria should be applied to the new movies
as were to the old.NO HOLLYWOOD SUPERSTARS.the cast from the trulogy work so well because none of the cast had been typecast in their careers so it was easier to believe them in their roles.The presence of A-Listers would render the roles unbelievable and would make the films vehicles for their careers and upset the balance of the films.Imagine if Bruce Willis had been cast as Aragorn,or if Cameron Diaz had played Eowyn,the films would have been ruined.Hopefully the director will cast from unknowns and established actors who do not command $10m plus salaries.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Of all the suggestions so far, the only one that looks promising is Gael Garcia Bernal. He has that sparkly, hobbit-like appearance. He would just have to lose his spanish accent for the role, go Brit or something.
August 11th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
It would be great to see Elwood in the Hobbit but I’m not sure if he is the best choise for Bilbo’s role. I think you should try some young actor who isn’t very famous yet.
(I’m sorry about my bad English.)
p.s. It would be very nice to see also Orlando Bloom again in a hobbit movie.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I mean just same as “bert”.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Since I heard that there was going to be made a movie of the hobbit, the first actor that came into my mind to play the part of Bilbo was Ewan McGregor… I am a HUGE Tolkien fan, and has known the Hobbit book through a great deal of my life, and feel that he would be most suitable for this very important role..
November 17th, 2008 at 12:18 am
My vote goes to either Ewan McGregor or James McAvoy, in that order. I could see either one as Bilbo. Been a fan of Tolkien for 34 years, have read each of the books at least 8 times
November 25th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Ryan renolds?
November 25th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
But yeah i totaly agree w the dude from hitchikers. he looks the part and har the demeanor.
November 26th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I can not believe that Peter Jackson isn’t directing this movie. Basicly Peter did all the job for Toro and i don’t this it will be the same as peter.i’m realy disappointed, cause it’s my favorite movie of all times and now I fount out that Peter is not doing it. I hope that Toro will be able to do something close as to what Peter has delivered to the whole world.
Tal Levit
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:43 am
Kenneth Branaugh looks like hobbit,has great acting skills in drama and comedy and is the right age for middle-aged Bilbo.
December 27th, 2008 at 3:49 am
James McAvoy for Bilbo!
December 30th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Patrick Fugit (from Almost Famous) is a good actor, looks like a hobbit, and looks like he could be related to Elijah Wood. He’d make a good Bilbo, assuming the movie people are going to make Bilbo younger than the book.
January 4th, 2009 at 3:48 am
James McAvoy is an excellent choice…..he was great in Children of Dune. And I also think Kenneth Branaugh is a great choice…..a very underrated actor who can easily go from serious to comical and even athletic if needed. A great example of his ability can be seen in Much Ado About Nothing. As far as del Torro directing……if The Hobbit turns out to be comparable in quality to Pan’s Labrynth then we should be in for a treat. That’s my two cents.
January 4th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Oh……..and whatever the choice I believe it should be a British actor. Most of the time American actors who try to pull off a British accent are not very convincing. It seems much more believable and authentic coming from an actor who’s actually from Britain.
January 4th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Has anyone thought of how Johnny Depp might be in the role? I know what I said earlier about being a British actor and all…….but Johnny Depp is one American actor who I think pulls off a British accent with ease…….and I keep remembering his role in Sleepy Hollow and how that same, timid demeanor would fit so well into The Hobbit…..and then of course would lessen as the movie progresses. What do you all think???
January 5th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
That seems to be a great idea. He is a great actor and plays British man easily. He would fit to be the hobbit. Also he is not the tallest so his stature shape would be more fitting.