For many fans, Richard Armitage will forever be remembered as the brooding and regal Thorin Oakenshield, the dwarf king who led the quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy.
However, the role that catapulted him into the spotlight was one he never expected to land.
In a candid interview, Armitage reflected on the serendipitous turn of events that led him to portray the iconic character.
“Arriving in New Zealand having begged my agent to get me an audition for Lord of the Rings and completely missing the boat, missing the boat again because The Hobbit was already cast and Guillermo del Toro was directing, and they’d cast somebody else — and then this strange thing happened where the film dropped back and then reemerged,” he recounted.
Despite the setbacks and his own self-doubt, Armitage found himself auditioning for the role, even battling a back injury at the time.
“Not in a million years did I think that I would get cast,” he admitted. Yet, the moment his agents broke the news over dinner left him in a state of disbelief. “It took so long for it to sink in. What it was, I suppose, is I’d read this book when I was seven years old, I was approaching 40 [and] I got to New Zealand, and I still was pinching myself like I can’t believe that this has happened to somebody like me.”
The Doubts and Disbelief of Portraying an Iconic Character
Armitage’s self-doubt was so profound that he initially refused to unpack his suitcase, fearing he would be replaced. “I didn’t unpack my suitcase ’cause I thought I was gonna get turned home, I thought they were gonna be like, ‘We made a mistake, we’re getting somebody else in,'” he confessed.
It was a role that would change his life forever, but the weight of portraying such an iconic character was not lost on him.
The Hobbit trilogy marked Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated return to the world of Tolkien after his groundbreaking success with The Lord of the Rings.
However, his approach to the new trilogy was notably different, embracing cutting-edge technology and visual effects over the practical, location-based approach of his previous films.
Peter Jackson’s Return
The Hobbit trilogy marked Peter Jackson’s much-anticipated return to the world of Tolkien after his groundbreaking success with The Lord of the Rings.
However, his approach to the new trilogy was notably different, embracing cutting-edge technology and visual effects over the practical, location-based approach of his previous films.
Armitage understood Jackson’s fascination with the evolving technology, noting, “He was so fascinated with technology and what was possible in a computer that making The Hobbit trilogy in this way made sense.”
While Armitage’s focus remained on delivering compelling performances, he appreciated Jackson’s ability to bring the world to life, even on a green-screen set. “He was able to come in and just describe exactly what you were seeing without even showing like a pre-vis.
He would just say, ‘OK, this is the scenario,’ and he’s got a storyteller brain. So I saw everything that he was describing, and actually, those moments were pretty, pretty good.”
A Dwarf King’s Legacy
While some of his co-stars, like John Callen (who played Oin), jokingly referred to the dwarf actors as “the world’s highest-paid extras,” Armitage’s experience was different. “I think I probably had a different experience.
I think I was really focusing on what was there rather than what wasn’t there, that tends to be me anyway,” he explained.
“I tend to look at what I’ve got, not what I had hoped for, but I think Thorin was very well served in both the book and the movie. It was a tall order for quite a short person.”
Now, with his iconic portrayal of Thorin Oakenshield firmly etched in the annals of cinematic history, Armitage embarks on a new journey with ITV’s thriller Red Eye.
In this latest role, he plays the enigmatic Dr. Matthew Nolan, a doctor arrested on suspicion of murder during a business trip to China.
As he is extradited back to China with police escort DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi), a larger conspiracy begins to unfold, keeping viewers guessing about the true nature of his character.
From the noble dwarf king to the mysterious Dr. Nolan, Richard Armitage’s acting prowess continues to captivate audiences, solidifying his status as one of the most versatile and compelling actors of our time.
His journey from doubting his casting to embracing the “role of a lifetime” is a testament to his dedication and the enduring power of storytelling.
Richard Armitage Brings a Mysterious Doctor to Life in ITV’s Thriller ‘Red Eye’
In Red Eye, Armitage portrays Dr. Matthew Nolan, a doctor accused of murdering a woman during a business trip to Beijing.
While Nolan professes his innocence, his memory of the night in question is hazy, leaving viewers to question his guilt or innocence throughout the show.
As he is extradited back to China to face justice, accompanied by DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi), a larger conspiracy unfolds, raising the stakes and putting their very survival at risk during the flight.
Armitage found the portrayal of the enigmatic Dr. Nolan to be an intriguing challenge, drawing parallels to his previous work on the hit series Spooks. “I feel like most of the characters I’ve played, if they’re not morally grey, they’ll find some grey area because I think that’s the most interesting part of the character,” he explains.
The actor delved into the complexities of Nolan’s character, leaving viewers questioning whether to trust him or not.
“We should trust Matthew Nolan because he’s a doctor, he’s taken the Hippocratic Oath, he’s a person who saves lives, he doesn’t kill people and then run away from the scene of the crime,” Armitage notes.
However, Nolan’s own uncertainty about the events of that fateful night fuels the mystery. “But there’s this blackout on the night that it happened, so, in himself, he’s unsure of what really happened and starts to doubt himself.
Through the course of the story, he even starts to doubt whether what they’re saying about him is true, and he doesn’t know what his role is in this political game.”
In Red Eye, Armitage once again showcases his versatility as an actor, embodying a character shrouded in mystery and uncertainty.
As the suspenseful story unfolds, viewers will be drawn into the web of intrigue surrounding Dr. Nolan and the larger conspiracy at play, leaving them guessing until the final reveal.
