Thanks to Melissa Brooks from TheBlackBoxClub.com and ShaneBriant.org for posting this video up on YouTube and then alerting us to it. It shows actor Shane Briant discussing his upcoming roles, and at approximately the 1:02 mark discussing how he auditioned for the role of the Mayor of Michel Delving. Enjoy!
Category: Casting Rumors
Thanks to Ringer Kookie for sending in this tip! On wednesday (or around there), Sir Ian McKellen’s official website (McKellen.com) made an update to its ‘2010’s Film’ section. While we don’t have an official press release yet, the update to his website seems to imply he is coming back as Gandalf for ‘The Hobbit’ films:
THE HOBBIT’s, two films, start shooting in New Zealand in February 2011. Filming will take over a year. Casting in Los Angeles, New York City and London has started. The script too proceeds. The first draft is crammed with old and new friends, again on a quest in Middle Earth.
THE HOBBIT
Director: Peter Jackson
Role: Gandalf
Again, we do not have an official press release yet. Afterall, it is a US Holiday and I’m sure the PR team for the films are still recovering from a heaping portion of Turkey. (I know I am!) But light those beacons folks, “Hope is kindled.” [McKellen.com]
Here’s a juicy bit of news regarding an interesting role PJ and Co. are supposedly casting for The Hobbit. British actor Shane Briant spoke at the Bram Stoker Horror Film Festival Whitby Hammer Convention and Exhibition on Sunday October 17th, 2010, and his revelation of his audition for the highly-anticipated Hobbit films drew a very audible “Ooooh!” of surprise from a rather rapt audience.
Here’s what the Shane had to say (you can watch the video here):
[…] I’m hoping to be in The Hobbit. Wouldn’t that be nice. I auditioned for that. It’s supposed to be the ridiculous Mayor of… something or the other… the Shire. And he took himself very seriously. So I got all dressed up, with a silly bow-tie, [here Shane stands up to demonstrate a hunched man with a mild pout] and I thought I gave a very good audition. I still haven’t heard back. I’m thinking it’s because the film’s been put back and Jackson’s now back on board as the director. So I’d love to do that. That’s real fantasy life. So we’ll see.
The good man seems to be a wee bit unsure of which Mayoral role he auditioned for. If he indeed means the Mayor of Shire, Tolkien fans will know without a doubt that he really means the Mayor of Michel Delving, though on the other hand it could very well be the Mayor of Lake Town.
Join in the speculation and discussion over at our message boards. Many thanks to message board member Otaku-sempai for pointing us to this video.
TORn was one of the guests this week on Fictional Frontiers with Sohaib to talk about ‘The Hobbit’. You can listen to the broadcast right here. Other guests include film critic James Berardinelli and the incomparable Stan Lee!
There are many new names associated with the upcoming Hobbit films. With some we are familiar, and some we are not . Actor John Callen was one of those confirmed cast member for whom we just didn’t have a lot of information, except for the fact that he was cast as Óin, son of Gróin, and brother to Glóin. We have an exclusive treat for you all today as John has been kind enough to share some pictures, a brief biography and the story of how he came to be cast in The Hobbit! Make sure to click the ‘continue reading’ button to read the full story.
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I was born November 4 1946 in south-east London and attended Grammar School at Blackheath before heading to NZ with my family at age 16. I attended school for one more year, tried art school and then got my first job copywriting for a radio station before moving sideways into journalism. All this time I was engaged in amateur theatricals through which I met an advertising director who employed me to do voiceovers. That was 40 years ago.
Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE: Getting to know John Callen aka Óin”
Above is a scan of the official Hobbit extras casting call ad as it appeared in the Bay of Plenty Times. Thanks to the Tauranga Library!