Well, as a massive fan/geek (delete as appropriate) of Lord of the Rings, I thought I’d base this list on my favourite characters from the trilogy. So, here goes…
1. Samwise Gamgee
Samwise Gamgee is as Frodo says ‘Samwise the Brave’. Throughout the trilogy he pulls the niave and weak Frodo out of sticky situations without a care for his own safety. For his inexplicable West Country accent, questionable sexuality and unexpected intuition…We salute you, Samwise!
Samwise was played by Sean Astin (pictured below) in Peter Jackson’s films based on the books by J.R.R Tolkien.
2. Aragorn
Aragorn is the heir to the throne of Gondor who leads the Fellowship before sending Frodo and Sam off on their mission, aware that all he can do is try to make it easier for him. Aragorn is fearless but flawed by his destiny and love for the immortal elf, Arwen.
In the films, he is played by Viggo Mortensen.
3. Eowyn
Eowyn is a noblewoman of Rohan. She displays many of the same characteristics as Aragorn which is probably why she finds herself so attracted to him. She fights against the gender restraints laid upon her by her uncle, Theoden, King of Rohan, to fight for her people and Middle Earth.
In short, she pisses all over the prissy, Arwen who is one of the only three female characters in Middle Earth, the third being Galadriel of Lothlorien.
In the films, she is portrayed by Miranda Otto.
4. Gollum
The schizophrenic antagonist is the most dimensional character of the piece, eliciting sympathy and loathing in equal measure. He is a tortured soul ruled by his love and hatred of the Ring, which he refers to throughout as ‘The Precious’.
On screen, he is portrayed by Andy Serkis.
5. Gimli, Son of Gloin
Gimli is the son of Gloin, one of the dwarves featured in Tolkien’s earlier work, The Hobbit. Dwarves have been long considered a greedy race, only concerned with themselves and their own wealth. Dwarves are very insular, which causes tension with elf, Legolas who as an elf is also not one to show emotion. However, as the adventure draws on, Gimli’s loyalty cannot be questioned and his relationship with Legolas remains one of the most intriguing throughout the books.
John-Rhys Davies plays Gimli in the films.
