'The Lord of the Rings' movie turns 20: See actors then and now

Remember Middle Earth? And that epic journey to Mordor? It’s been 20 years since ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ movie came out and in honour of our heroes and - let’s face it - Gollem, we look back at what the actors who made the fantasy come true are doing now.

Sir Ian Murray McKellen CH CBE, aka Galdalf, is still acting away, cancer be damned. The English actor who’s 81 years old and had cancer for the past 8-9 years recently got the COVID-19 vaccine jab, in an attempt to keep the virus at bay. On the work front, he was last seen in 2019 film ‘The Good Liar’ and slotted for a spot in the ‘Hamlet’ play on West End.

Ah, Master Frodo. Elijah Wood, who’s played many a fine role in movies including ‘Mandy’ and ‘Sin City’, is still best known for his role as the little hobbit from Bag End. But he’s done a lot since those days of giant hairy feet, including launching a successful career as a DJ with his own record label called Simian Records. Oh and he’s involved with a charity called The Art of Elysium, which helps sick children meet their favourite celebrities.

Orlando Bloom, who played the heartthrob elf Legolas, has just become a dad with fiancée Kate Perry. The ‘Roar’ singer and Bloom have named their little one Daisy Dove Bloom.

Sean Astin, or Samwise Gamgee as we like to call him, was the true hero of the movie. In real life, the actor is pretty talented as well. He’s acted in movies and series including Netflix’s hit ‘Stranger Things 2’. And he’s a best-selling author; he wrote ‘There and Back Again’, a memoir of his career.

Viggo Mortensen, who played the valiant-if-guilt ridden Aragorn in the LOTR, has spent the past two decades working on his acting – he was nominated for an Oscar thrice - his art (painting, photography, poetry and music) and his language skills (he speaks seven). And last year, mid pandemic, he became a first-time director, with the movie ‘Falling’.

Sean Bean, who plays Boromir, is back in the spotlight this year with a role as the sociopath leader of the last bastion of humanity in Netflix series ‘Snowpiercer’ . Of course we also know Bean as Ned Stark, from ‘Game of Thrones’ season 1.

Peregrin "Pippin" Took actor Billy Boyd went on to have a music/acting career. And now, he’s got a series going where he reunites casts of famous movies on his YouTube channel, ‘Reunited Apart’. In the past, he’s brought back the cast from ‘The Goonies’ and ‘Back to the Future, and recently, ‘Lord of the Rings.’

Andy Serkis aka Gollem aska Smeagol. The list wouldn’t work without the actor who played him to perfection, going so far as to walk for hours hunched and on all fours to get into the spirit of the thing. The actor, narrator and film director. He’s currently directing ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’.

Cate Blanchett, who is considered to be one of the best actors of our time, can be seen this year in ‘Pinocchio, directed by Guillermo Del Toro’. She is also part of a production company called Dirty Films.

Liv Tyler, the famous daughter of the legend Steven Tyler, fell ill with COVID in December. She’s stayed on the acting lane but has since playing Arwen added another role to her oeuvre: Mom.