LORD OF THE RINGS casting: Boromir + Gollum descriptions

Well, I've been hard at work this weekend. You might have seen a lack of updates and there is a reason. I decided to do some writing for myself. Every now and again I like to write a short story, type a chapter of some yet to be released book. Dabble at the keyboard for a reason other than Film News. Don't get me wrong. I love film news, but... My first love is creative writing.

But... Amongst all of that, I saw several films and have been calling contacts in New Zealand, Australia and Los Angeles... as well as e-mailing all over the place inquiring about... 'The Mystery 3'.

Well... Apparently I have yet to nail one, but I do have Boromir. The actor that New Line and Peter Jackson are currently looking at is Sean Bean (006). Sean is apparently in negotiations and is not quite yet signed, but he is the leading contender at the moment for the role of Boromir... and one source involved in the L.A. realm tells me he's in. Personally, I have taken quite a likening to this casting as Sean Bean is one of those actors we really don't see that much of.

Another bit I'd like to address is a rumor over at TheOneRing.Net and concerns this strange bit about Steve Buscemi and Gollum. Gollum's voice is not a famous one I am told. But then the rumor was more about the look of Gollum and the way his mouth moves. Well... I guess I'm one of the few people in the world that has actually been lucky enough to see Weta's design for Gollum.

There is an instant reaction when one looks at their design for Gollum and it is the feeling that you are indeed looking at Gollum. The primary feeling I was struck with was sadness. His eyes are larger than that of a normal man's. He looks as if he's spent centuries frowning and in despair. He looks like a tortured soul. As for the influence of Steve? Well...

You ever seen FANTASIA? Remember the big demon at the end of the NIGHT ON BALD MOUNTAIN sequence? Chernabog (msp?). Well... Word has it that Bela Lugosi was the influence. E.T.? Word has it that Albert Einstein was a basis for him. Well... I could see... if one were to squint a bit... The influence of Buscemi, but... this is not a human character anymore. No eyes are that large or sorrowful. Gollum looks like an inhuman survivior of the Holocaust. Gaunt face, and eyes that have... seen horrors. There is treachery and pitifulness. I could not kill this creature. And I understand why Frodo won't. He's not green or froggy... at least not when I saw him. He looked like... he might have once been... something else. But now... he's just Gollum.

And... Right now I'm working on getting the other names for you. I have one that I'm checking up on right now that looks quite promising. But... I'm not going to say anything till I know for sure. No sense and starting senseless speculation.