The Lord of the Rings film trilogy not only broke records, shattered box office expectations and tapdanced all over the Oscars, but it also put a number of highly talented actors and actresses on the world stage, some for the first time. Relative unknowns became overnight sensations, and even the smallest bit part is recognized for contributing to Peter Jackson's amazing vision.
Many cast members had been working in the acting business for quite some time, while others only had a few bit parts to their name. Regardless, LOTR fans might be surprised to learn about certain actors who starred in other incredible roles over the years. Here are just a handful.
10 Ian Holm - Alien (1979)
While it's easy to recognize the late Ian Holm as the face of Bilbo Baggins, many fans forget that he was actually one of the principal stars of the original Alien way back in 1979. Holm played the sinister Ash, a science officer with too keen an interest in the lethal xenomorph species the Nostromo crew encountered on LV-426.
Holm played Ash with a mixture of sliminess and sociopathic tendencies. His faux concern for his crew was obvious in his mannerisms and facial expressions as he attempted to keep up appearances while hiding what he really was. Audiences learned the shocking truth in the latter half of the film.
9 Karl Urban - Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995)
These days, Karl Urban is busy churning out a wicked performance as William Butcher, the foul-mouthed hater of superheroes on Amazon's TV adaptation of The Boys. He got his big break in the original Lord of the Rings trilogy as the horsemaster Eomer of Rohan which set his Hollywood career on track.
Before any of this success came his way, Urban appeared as the love God Cupid in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He would reprise the role several times on both Hercules and its spin-off Xena: The Warrior Princess.
8 Bruce Allpress - The Piano (1993)
Many Lord of the Rings fans may not recognize Bruce Allpress's name, but they certainly remember him as the archer who accidentally frees his arrow from the top of Helm's Deep and kills an Uruk-hai warrior below. It remains one of the funniest comic relief scenes of The Two Towers, and a welcome one given the dark setting.
Allpress had starred in a number of prominent productions over the years, but he's best known for his role as the blind piano tuner in the 1993 film The Piano, starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel and Sam Neill.
7 Sean Astin - Toy Soldiers (1991)
Frodo's best buddy Samwise Gamgee is well known to Lord of the Rings fans, and actor Sean Astin is instantly recognizable because of it. However, before Lord of the Rings became such a worldwide phenomenon, Astin starred in a series of films such as Encino Man, Courage Under Fire and Rudy.
Audiences began to take note of Astin after he starred in the 1991 film Toy Soldiers alongside Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton. Astin played delinquent wiseguy Billy Tepper, a schoolkid who leads his fellow students in a dangerous revolt against a group of terrorists who seize control of their rich boarding school.
6 Lawrence Makoare - Xena: The Warrior Princess (1995)
Actor Lawrence Makoare has been heavily involved with several Lord of the Rings projects including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. He is best remembered for playing the fearsome and terrifying Uruk-hai leader Lurtz who personally leads a campaign against the Fellowship in the first film.
Makoare is another in a long line of LOTR actors who cut their teeth starring in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its spin-off properties. Makoare starred in Xena: The Warrior Princess as Maecenus, as well as a Barbarian Leader. His imposing physical stature no doubt had a lot to do with it.
5 Bernard Hill - Titanic (1997)
Actor Bernard Hill gave the role of Theoden a kingly presence that will be remembered for the ages. His performance was multifaceted and evolutionary, and helped set the stage for the final climatic battle that would later place in Return of the King.
Hill had starred in a number of high profile projects before his debut in The Two Towers, including The Ghost in the Darkness, First Knight (for which he was uncredited) and A Midsummer Night's Dream. However, he's best remembered for playing Captain Smith in James Cameron's 1997 uber-epic Titanic.
4 Marton Csokas - xXx (2002)
Actor Marton Csokas was barely recognizable as the wood elf Celeborn in The Fellowship of the Ring, and that's probably due to his prior career which consisted largely of roles in television. Following his small bit part in Fellowship, Csokas's career began to take off.
His first truly big role was as the principal villain Yorgi in the Vin Diesel action vehicle xXx. Comparing the characters of Yorgi and Celeborn is shocking, to say the least.
3 Sarah McLeod - A Twist In The Tale (1999)
Samwise Gamgee's love interest Rosie Cotton was played by the lovely Sarah McLeod, and even though she didn't get much screen time, it gave Sam's character something to hold onto when the Fellowship's quest became too much to bear. The actress hasn't starred in a wealth of roles before or since, but she did land one in a peculiar spot.
McLeod starred in William Shatner's A Twist in the Tale, a 1999 television series featuring kids as the characters of each new story. She portrayed Nicky in the episode "A Crack In Time."
2 John Noble - The Lost World (1999)
These days, John Noble is a recognizable face thanks to his appearance in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and he's since gone on to star in a multitude of projects including the sci-fi TV hit Fringe. Most recently he reunited with his LOTR co-star Karl Urban in a cameo appearance as William Butcher's father on Amazon's The Boys.
Noble had participated in a series of small projects leading up to The Lord of the Rings, and his penultimate appearance up until that point was an appearance as Inspector Anderson on the fantasy TV series The Lost World. He soon made his way into the big leagues only two years later.
1 Viggo Mortenson - Miami Vice (1984)
Actor Viggo Mortenson is a highly versatile performer who takes on all the characteristics of his roles no matter what they call for. He's played a tough-as-nails Master Chief in G.I. Jane, deranged psychopath Tex Sawyer in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, and a protective father in the post-apocalyptic hit The Road.
However, most fans probably aren't aware that one of Mortenson's earliest roles was a stint on the classic 1980s TV series Miami Vice, where he played Detective Eddie Trumbull in the episode "Red Tape." It seems Hollywood is a small world after all.
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