The Lord of the Rings star Sean Astin says that he and his fellow Hobbit actors from the film trilogy have an active group text that they've been communicating in daily for the last few months. Astin played Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy trilogy. Best friend of protagonist Frodo Baggins, Sam accompanies Frodo all the way to the top of Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring.
Speaking with Collider about what he remembers most fondly about filming The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Astin revealed that he has been part of a group text with his fellow Hobbit actors for the last few months. He goes on to talk about how honored he was to be part of a film series that has stood the test of time. Check out Astin's full statement below:
I think what I treasure most about it is the whole, the entirety of the experience, from going down in August of '99 to this now 20-year reunion of Return of the King. I mean, there's so much work and creativity and sacrifice and reward, and so many relationships, so much identity just wrapped up in the whole thing. The Hobbits, we have this little text thread going with each other. We've been going for, I don't know, six months now where we just kind of interact with each other every day, and you just realize there are just certain things that you have in common with each other that nobody else has, and that's pretty special.
And so, my wife and daughter were there with me the whole time. And now Ali, who was 3 when we started filming, is 27 getting a Ph.D. I'm so grateful that the movie still seems to hold up for audiences, the special effects still seem to hold up, the performances, the mythology of it. And so, yeah, it's just a pretty, pretty huge privilege.
Why The Lord Of The Rings Is Still Acclaimed Today
Astin's fellow Hobbits in The Lord of the Rings include Elijah Wood as Frodo, Dominic Monaghan as Merry, and Billy Boyd as Pippin. Each actor played a major role in The Lord of the Rings films, with the Shire-based Hobbits being thrust into a massive adventure to save the world from the Dark Lord Sauron. The fact that Astin is still in contact with the other actors from the trilogy shows how important their bond was long after filming ended.
Jackson's faithfulness to Tolkien's original work is one of the reasons why The Lord of the Rings continues to be remembered fondly to this day. Part of that faithfulness is depicted in the friendship of the Hobbits, especially that of Frodo and Sam while they are on their quest to Mordor. The trilogy accentuated their relationship, making it clear why the duo were the ones who had to destroy the One Ring.
The success of the franchise has sparked a creative revitalization as of late, with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 in production, as well as the anime film Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim. With The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, it seems the franchise is set to expand far beyond the humble Hobbits it started with. Even so, Astin and his fellow Hobbits' group chat attests to how important The Lord of the Rings trilogy will always be to them.
Source: Collider