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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsPeter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy stars Elijah Wood as Frodo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, alongside the rest of the Fellowship and a large supporting cast. The films arrived in order across three consecutive Decembers: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003), according to the American Film Institute (AFI).
The Fellowship of the Ring: the central nine
The Fellowship brings together four hobbits, two men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard to carry the Ring toward Mordor. The core actor-character pairings are:
| Performer | Character | Place in the Fellowship |
|---|---|---|
| Elijah Wood | Frodo Baggins | Ring-bearer |
| Sean Astin | Samwise Gamgee | Frodo’s companion |
| Billy Boyd | Peregrin “Pippin” Took | Hobbit member of the Fellowship |
| Dominic Monaghan | Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck | Hobbit member of the Fellowship |
| Ian McKellen | Gandalf | Wizard and guide |
| Viggo Mortensen | Aragorn | Ranger and heir to the throne of Gondor |
| Sean Bean | Boromir | Warrior of Gondor |
| Orlando Bloom | Legolas | Elf archer |
| John Rhys-Davies | Gimli | Dwarf warrior |
Warner Bros.’ official The Fellowship of the Ring page also lists the major characters outside the Fellowship: Liv Tyler as Arwen, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Christopher Lee as Saruman, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, and Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins.
The Two Towers: Rohan, Gondor, and Gollum
The second film continues the Fellowship’s story while bringing several important characters into the foreground. Warner Bros.’ cast listing for The Two Towers includes these roles:
| Performer | Character | Story connection |
|---|---|---|
| Bernard Hill | Théoden | King of Rohan |
| Miranda Otto | Éowyn | Rohan’s shieldmaiden |
| Karl Urban | Éomer | Rohan’s marshal and Théoden’s nephew |
| David Wenham | Faramir | Captain of Gondor and Boromir’s brother |
| Brad Dourif | Gríma Wormtongue | Théoden’s adviser |
| Andy Serkis | Gollum | The Ring’s former bearer, who guides Frodo and Sam |
| Craig Parker | Haldir | Elf who joins the defense of Rohan |
The film also credits John Rhys-Davies as Gimli and as the voice of Treebeard. Treebeard is an Ent, so this is a voice performance rather than an on-screen role.
The Return of the King: the final film
The Return of the King (2003) concludes the trilogy. Warner Bros.’ film page describes Frodo and Sam’s mission toward Mount Doom as Aragorn leads the remaining forces in resistance to Sauron. The returning ensemble includes the principal Fellowship actors and characters, along with Bernard Hill as Théoden, Miranda Otto as Éowyn, David Wenham as Faramir, Karl Urban as Éomer, and Andy Serkis as Gollum. Other performers listed by Warner Bros. include John Noble and Marton Csokas.
Warner Bros. reports that the film won 11 Academy Awards, associating the awards with 2003. This is the studio’s stated figure and year, not a cast count.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to read the credits for Gollum and other performances
Gollum is not a conventional on-screen role: Andy Serkis’s performance was used to create the character through performance capture, and Serkis also supplied Gollum’s voice. Credit layouts can make that relationship less obvious than a cast table does. AFI notes that the trilogy has no opening cast or crew credits and that performers and character names may appear separately in the end-credit sequence. In its account of The Return of the King, AFI says Serkis’s lead credit identifies Gollum, while the scrolling cast list pairs actors with roles and lists Alan Howard as the voice of the Ring. For quick identification, the actor-character pairings above are clearer than relying on the order or layout of the end credits.
Quick Recap
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