J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is truly a story for the ages. The iconic saga made its big screen debut in 2001 with its first installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The Peter Jackson-directed retelling of Tolkien’s legendary battle for middle-earth was an immediate success, garnering a record-breaking $1.7 million in Box office revenue within the first 24 hours of its release. Two more installments were later released, each more successful than the last.
The Oscar-winning saga recently made a monumental comeback, this time as a highly controversial Amazon Prime series; The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. However, the new show, which premiered on 1st September 2022, does not include any of the original cast. So, are the original Lord of the Rings cast members still acting in 2022?
8 Elijah Wood Is Set To Star In An Upcoming Macon Blair Film
Elijah Wood has come a long way since playing Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Wood has since appeared in multiple iconic films, including Sin City and Celeste & Jesse Forever. The 41-year-old has also expanded his TV repertoire, portraying recurring characters in two seasons of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and four seasons of Wilfred.
Wood is currently filming Macon Blair's reboot of the 1984 film The Toxic Avenger, which stars Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage, R.I.P.D’s Kevin Bacon, and The Little Mermaid’s Jacob Tremblay.
7 Ian McKellen Recently Starred In A Production Of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard
After portraying The Lord of the Rings’ Gandalf for three years, Ian McKellen took on the role of Magneto in the acclaimed superhero franchise, X-Men. The prolific actor also clinched notable roles in multiple mega-hit films, including Cats, Beauty and the Beast, and Mr. Holmes.
In addition, McKellen revived his stage career, taking on leading roles in Trevor Nunn’s King Lear and The Seagull. The 83-year-old recently portrayed Hamlet in a new production of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard at the Edinburgh Festival Ballet.
6 Cate Blanchett Has Remained One Of Hollywood’s Most Sought-After Actors
Cate Blanchett had gained critical acclaim long before she took on the role of Galadriel in LOTR. After filming the trilogy’s final installment, Blanchett remained one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, clinching notable roles in mega-hit productions such as Ocean’s 8, Cinderella, Carol, Thor: Ragnarök, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
The 53-year-old recently voiced la colombe in Netflix’s adaptation of Pinocchio and is set to star in and produce Pedro Almodovar’s A Manual for Cleaning Women.
5 Sean Astin Recently Starred in The Family Comedy iMordecai
After his time as the lovable hobbit Samwise Gamgee came to an end, Sean Astin continued to expand his film repertoire, appearing in hit films such as Gloria Bell, The Freemason, and Extraction.
The Goonies star also nabbed notable roles in popular television shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Stranger Things, No Good Nick, and The Big Bang Theory.
Astin recently portrayed Marvin in the family comedy iMordecai which premiered on the 25th Miami Jewish Film Festival’s opening night.
4 Orlando Bloom Will Star in The Upcoming Film Red Right Hand
After his time as LOTR’s Legolas lapsed, Orlando Bloom went on to star in multiple highly acclaimed films, including The Three Musketeers, Elizabethtown, and Troy. Bloom also made his stage debut a few years after LOTR, starring in a Broadway adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Bloom is currently starring in the Amazon Prime fantasy series Carnival Row and has taken on a leading role in the upcoming film Red Right Hand.
3 John Rys-Davis Will Appear In The Final Indiana Jones Film
John Rhys-Davis’ film repertoire expanded significantly after his time as LOTR's Gimli came to an end. The Welsh actor went on to clinch notable roles in mega-hit films, such as Aquaman, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, and Anaconda 3: Offspring.
Rhys-Davis has also enjoyed an illustrious television career, appearing in multiple popular fantasy series, including Once Upon a Time and The Shannara Chronicles. Rhys-Davis is set to portray Sallah in the fifth and final installment of the Indiana Jones franchise.
2 Sean Bean Is Starring In A British Television Drama
After portraying LOTR’s Boromir for three years, English actor Sean Bean went on to play Odysseus in Troy, Zeus in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and Severus in The Young Messiah.
The 63-year-old also nubbed major roles in popular television shows, including Game of Thrones, The Oath and Legends, and Snowpiercer. Bean is currently starring in Stefan Golaszewski’s TV drama, Marriage, alongside British Television star Nicola Walker.
1 Viggo Mortensen Is Set To Star In A Highly Anticipated Thriller
Viggo Mortensen’s career has flourished tremendously since his time as LOTR’s Arargon. The 63-year-old actor went on to gain three Academy Award nominations for his roles in Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic, and Green Book.
Mortensen recently made his directorial debut in the film Falling and starred in Ron Howard’s biographical film Thirteen Lives. The 63-year-old is set to star in several highly anticipated productions, including Alex Gibney’s Vietnam War thriller Two Wolves.
