Going Mainstream

There is a new interview with Richard Armitage at MTV. Wow! I never thought to use those two names in the same sentence.

Jan 11 2012 5:00 PM EST
Richard Armitage’s Journey To ‘The Hobbit’ Best ‘By Far’
The U.K. actor is Middle-earth’s most badass dwarf and One to Watch in 2012.

By Kevin P. Sullivan

This winter, director Peter Jackson will deliver the long-awaited return to Middle-earth. “The Hobbit,” which will unfold across two films, begins with “An Unexpected Journey,” as Bilbo Baggins leaves to win back gold stolen from his companions. But these are not just any friends. Bilbo is accompanied by 13 dwarves, each with a larger-than-life personality.

The leader of these adventurers, Thorin, will be played by Richard Armitage, who made a brief appearance in “Captain America: The First Avenger,” but will get his biggest Stateside break in “The Hobbit.” The British actor played a key role in last month’s trailer and will soon join the illustrious ranks of Tolkien alumni, alongside Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean and Orlando Bloom.

We spoke with Armitage about traveling to Middle-earth, the difficulty of working under pounds of makeup and leading a band of treasure-seeking dwarves.

MTV: Congratulations on being named to MTV’s Ones to Watch!

Richard Armitage: Thank you very much!

MTV: Where are you currently in the filming schedule?

Armitage: We just finished up our second block, so we start again at the end of January, and then we go — we think it’s the end of July. Then there’s a bit more in 2013, we reckon.

Read the rest here.

Wonder how all of this is going to look when we get the full court press.

January 11, 2012
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 24 Comments

A Few Items of Note From Down Under

[Note: It’s come to my attention that I have misapplied the description of Oz to NZ and neither parties like it! So this post is now titled “A Few Items of Note From Down Under and Slightly to One Side.” Thank you for the suggestion, Maegwen. :D]

I was awaiting the return of Joanna Scarratt and her report from New Zealand. In my head the report had taken on a life of its own. For those not familiar, Joanna is part of the Brand Partnership Department at United Agents, and my snark gene wants to go off on what it means to develop Richard Armitage as a brand. Tough work but someone has to do it. And the report? Wonderfully brief. You can read here. It confirms the idea that the first rule of branding is to leave the public wanting more. :D Maybe a shirt color would have been welcomed. It’s amazing what my mind can do with that little.

The bidding on Peter Jackson’s offer to host two people on ‘The Hobbit’ set is final, and the amount was a bit surprising to me. I made the assumption it would end with a much higher figure. Surely someone will take issue with my expectations, but I can’t help my gut reaction: c’mon, people! it’s Peter Jackson! Then again Peter Jackson is more low key and under the radar at times than I first imagined, and I suspect this unassuming demeanor is part of his charming heritage as a Kiwi. Net: if I had known the bidding was within my capabilities, I might have bid. SO has always wanted to go to New Zealand.

If I ever do go to New Zealand, I have to visit Lake Wanaka. The area is very familiar since friends and some acquaintances have visited, and it’s also the home of Jossi Wells, who spends a lot of time in my neck of the woods and is very well known here:

New Zealand has been on my bucket list for years. It’s obviously a beautiful place, but frankly, so is the area where I live. So the attraction to the country is not just its beauty, and no, this has nothing to do with Richard Armitage. Of all the people I’ve met from New Zealand (both face to face and online), to a person they have been down-to-earth. That is quite a statement about the country. I may have said this before, but it doesn’t matter. It’s significant enough that it bears repeating.

January 9, 2012
Categories: Movies, The Hobbit . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 13 Comments