Photo: Supplied
Kiwi actor Bruce Hopkins catches up with his fellow cast members from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, when they appear at a massive fan convention in London
When the cast of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy packed up their elf ears and Hobbit feet and left New Zealand nearly 25 years ago, it was the end of a fellowship.
But it wasn't the end of a friendship, and most of the core cast has just been reunited at a fantasy fan convention in London.
That includes notoriously convention-shy Sir Ian McKellen, with the 84-year-old Shakespearean actor making his first ever appearance at such an event.
Kiwi actor Bruce Hopkins, who played Gamling in the trilogy, was there with his recorder and today on The Detail gives us an exclusive insight into the mateship among the cast behind this ground-breaking and loved trilogy.
Two of the big stars from last weekend will be coming to Auckland for Labour Weekend's Armageddon convention in Auckland - Elijah Wood, or Frodo Baggins to Rings fans, and Andy Serkis who plays Gollum. Hobbit actors Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel, an elf) and Graham McTavish (Dwalin the dwarf) will also be there.
(Andy Serkis was going to be in New Zealand anyway - he's set to direct a new Lord of the Rings prequel scripted by Peter Jackson called The Hunt for Gollum, which is currently in pre-production. It's believed some of the original actors may return. The film is due for release in December 2027.)
Hopkins says he was blown away 25 years ago by the camaraderie on the original set, but those bonds are still in place.
"All that has happened is that we have all got older," he laughs.
"Honestly when you see them together ... it's like they're family. It's unbelievable," he says. "They're just such great friends."
Hopkins stepped into the group nine months into shooting LOTR but felt welcome straight away.
Last weekend he went to the For the Love of Fantasy event, his first fan convention in a decade, and found the huge crowds overwhelming.
He says at 9am on day one it was jammed already with thousands of people, describing it as an astounding turnout.
The top draw at the conference was Sir Ian McKellen - organisers were charging 195 pounds plus booking fee for an autographed photograph of him.
"He was saying 'my shoulder is so sore' - he's in his 80s now - from shaking hands."
His fellow cast mates told him off for spending so long with each person, saying he needed to pace himself.
Sir Ian returned to New Zealand in 2007 with the Royal Shakespeare Company to perform as King Lear.
Hopkins wangled a ticket to the opening night, and later found himself at a cast party ... and then took some of the troupe including Sir Ian out to Karekare to see where The Piano was filmed.
"I gave Ian a piggyback across the stream ... it was like ... holy cow this is so cool, I've got the world's greatest Shakespearean actor on my back!"
Two of the Hobbits, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd, now have their own TV series, Billy and Dom Eat the World. In true Hobbit style they wander on foot looking for adventure... and food. Hopkins says they're definitely coming to New Zealand to experience hangi food.
He's told them that fellow former cast member Lawrence Makoare, who played three roles including Lurtz the Uruk-hai, now dishes out hangi at the Ōrakei Marae in Auckland... and that his cousins on Rakiura/Stewart Island would be happy to deliver them crayfish, blue cod and paua.
"We'll definitely be back in New Zealand to do the hangi ... and see the culture of food and people down there, we're looking forward to getting back," Boyd tells Hopkins.
Monaghan says travelling to New Zealand was on the top of their list when they started series one, but the New Zealand Tourist Board asked them to give them time to make arrangements.
"It's always been very close to our hearts."
Fellow Hobbit Elijah Wood has been back recently - two years ago he was in the Canterbury region filming Bookworm.
"It was such a gift and a privilege to spend the better part of four years making these films in New Zealand and to get to know that country," he says.
"Part of our heart will reside there forever."
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