Despite the fact that the film were released over 20 years ago now, The Lord of the Rings trilogy remains not only the defining masterpiece of fantasy cinema, but one of the greatest feats the medium has ever seen. Telling the story of Middle Earth’s stance against the forces of Mordor, and Frodo Baggins’ (Elijah Wood) conquest to destroy the all-powerful ring, the trilogy is famous for its astonishing scope, its narrative perfection, its thrilling intensity, and, of course, its array of compelling and nuanced characters.
Bringing these characters to life in such exquisite fashion was a wonderful cast of talented and committed actors, all of whom have earned widespread acclaim for their performances. Limited to selecting just 10 necessitates some brutal omissions, from Sir Ian Holm‘s touching portrayal of Bilbo Baggins to Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan‘s jovial depictions of Merry and Pippin, Brad Dourif‘s slimy iteration of Gríma Wormtongue, and even Orlando Bloom‘s regal realization of Legolas. What remains are the most perfect and powerful performances of the trilogy, one that have become nothing short of iconic.
10
John Rhys-Davies
Portrayed Gimli (& Treebeard)
One of the true fan favorites, Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) is loved by many for his gruff comedic inflections as well as his combative nature and his fierce sense of loyalty to his friends. However, that isn’t necessarily the character viewers are introduced to in Rivendell. Initially coarse, untrusting, and rather brutish, John Rhys-Davies makes an immediate impression through Gimli’s hostility before allowing his truer nature of compassion and kindness to gradually unfurl.
Furthermore, there is an underrated physical aspect to Rhys-Davies’ performance given the actor, who is the tallest of the nine actors to portray members of the fellowship at 185cm (six feet one inch), embodies the mannerisms and might of the dwarven character with such brilliance. In theory, it would have been easy for the jovial and rambunctious dwarf to be the most forgettable member of the fellowship given his lack of key narrative points, but John Rhys-Davies ensures Gimli makes a strong and lasting impression, be it through his emotional depth, his perfect comic timing, or even just the way he bellows out his kill count during battles.
9
Sir Christopher Lee
Portrayed Saruman the White
While Sauron is the overriding antagonist of the trilogy, much of the commanding villainy of The Lord of the Rings falls upon the shoulders of Saruman, or, more to the point, Sir Christopher Lee. There isn’t a better pair of shoulders for such a responsibility to have fallen upon, with Lee’s long career as one of Hollywood’s great villain actors perhaps reaching its zenith with his authoritative, imposing, and menacing performance as Saruman the White, the Lord of Isengard.
Both his towering frame and his commanding, deep voice imbue Saruman with exceptional presence, but even with such villainous grandiosity, Lee still manages to capture the character’s descent into darkness, his succumbing to Sauron’s rule. In addition to his divine villainous aura, another reason he was so perfectly cast was his affinity for J. R. R. Tolkien and his stories, with Lee famously being the only member of the cast to have met with the author. His adoration for the source material is palpable in his performance, and it only becomes more apparent when fans indulge in the countless hours of behind-the-scenes content and hear the reverence Lee’s colleagues had for his investment in Tolkien’s story world.
8
Elijah Wood
Portrayed Frodo Baggins
For all intents and purposes, despite the story’s many narrative threads and major characters, Frodo Baggins is the outright protagonist of The Lord of the Rings as the ring-bearer tasked with venturing into Mount Doom to destroy Sauron’s greatest weapon. Elijah Wood handles the duality of his role with supreme nuance and balance. Whereas many other main actors are afforded the luxury of being able to portray their characters with upstanding heroism, Frodo only works if Wood makes audiences feel the strain of the ring’s influence on his mind.
In essence, Wood must balance the innocence of the hobbits and The Shire—the very fabric of Frodo’s character design—against the invading darkness of the ring. He does so impeccably. Furthermore, the soft charm and sense of goodness and decency he emits throughout the entire opening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is pivotal to establishing the tone of the films.
7
Sean Bean
Portrayed Boromir
It would be easy to mount an argument to place Sean Bean’s performance as Boromir much higher on this list given the complexity and darkness of the character. The son of the Steward of Gondor, Boromir joins the fellowship with the intention of using the ring’s power against Mordor, an ambition that is horrifically misguided, but born from his desire to protect his people. While this desire to protect sees him oppose and even threaten Frodo, it is a flaw that also makes him the most poignant and relatable character in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Bean excels at realizing Boromir’s emotional turmoil—his searing eruptions of anger, his helpless spouts of vexed pride, but also his cheer and affection for the hobbits—with such balance that he is always compelling. Additionally, his physicality in Boromir’s grand redemptive scene, his heartbreaking death as he defends Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) despite being pierced with arrows, makes for one of the most devastating and unforgettable moments in the entire trilogy. It is a fine portrayal of one of LOTR’s most complex, challenging, and human characters.
6
Miranda Otto
Portrayed Éowyn
While The Lord of the Rings is a male-dominated story, it still finds some room to allow female characters to flourish. The best and most compelling of them comes in the form of Éowyn (Miranda Otto), the niece of King Théoden (Bernard Hill) and a shieldmaiden of Rohan. Much of her journey revolves around her desire to fight alongside the men that she loves to defend the land that she holds dear.
Through Otto’s strong yet nuanced performance, Éowyn excels as an important character that defies convention for female side characters in action-packed movies and refuses to be defined by her romantic interests. Otto’s performance truly soars in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King as Éowyn rides into combat, imbued not only with courage and resolve, but apprehension and fear as well. Her delivery of “I am no man” before she kills the Witch King of Angmar is among the most iconic moments in the trilogy.
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)
5
Sean Astin
Portrayed Samwise Gamgee
Many The Lord of the Rings fans are of the opinion that Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) is the true hero of the story. His unconditional faith in goodness, his simple yet incorruptible nature, and his defiance and courage when he is forced to act are all reasons for the character being held in such high regard. However, they are all elements of Samwise that Sean Astin brings to the screen with outstanding impact and sincerity.
Whereas so many other characters are presented as outwardly noble, Sam’s heroism is more reserved, and Astin realizes this more grounded and subdued quality of the character with outstanding skill, by emphasizing his love for the quiet comfort of his home and his undying support for Frodo. Additionally, when Sam’s central moments come—such as his rousing and hopeful speech to Frodo about the goodness in the world or his stand against Shelob and the orcs in Mordor—Astin makes them his own with supreme heart and resolve.
4
Bernard Hill
Portrayed King Théoden
Introduced in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as a sickly old king under the insidious influence of Gríma Wormtongue and Saruman, King Théoden (Bernard Hill) soon becomes one of the most compelling and complex characters in the entirety of Middle Earth. The ruler of Rohan, he is plagued by age, the reputation of his forebears, and the diminishing power and status of his kingdom, but he is also ferociously courageous and kind.
Hill depicts this characterful duality with exceptional grace, but also with astonishing might. His arresting strength during his rousing speeches in the Battle of Helm’s Deep and as the Rohirrim charge into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields is entirely captivating, while his tenderness as he attends his son’s funeral and speaks with Éowyn as he succumbs to his wounds on the battlefield is soft, piercing, and heartbreaking. It is a wonderfully balanced performance that ensures King Théoden stands as one of the most resonant and memorable characters in the trilogy.
3
Viggo Mortensen
Portrayed Aragorn
Many would rank Viggo Mortensen’s performance as Aragorn as the outright best in the trilogy, and it is easy to see why. There are few actors in the films who personify and present their characters quite as perfectly as Mortensen does Aragorn. From his first moments on screen, Aragorn is an impressionable figure, one whose initial air of mystery and intimidation soon makes way for a beacon of leadership, bravery, conviction, nobility, and incorruptible heroism.
Mortensen’s dedication to the part is admirable, with the actor not only learning significant portions of Tolkien’s Elvish language, but also through him honing his craft as a swordsman to the point that he could confidently embody Aragorn’s fighting prowess as well. Not only does he portray Aragorn’s might and heroism, though, he also excels at realizing the character’s compassion for his comrades, one that often boils over into sensitive displays of emotion and affection that are richly impactful. The majority of fans hold his performance in such regard that they struggle to envision anyone else portraying the ranger from the North and the heir to the throne of Gondor.
2
Sir Ian McKellen
Portrayed Gandalf
While it may come as a surprise to many, Sir Ian McKellen is the only actor from The Lord of the Rings to have received an Academy Award nomination for their performance in the films. He received his nomination for his performance in The Fellowship of the Ring, with his depiction of Gandalf the Grey striking a perfect balance between world-weary wisdom, nobility and heroism, and even a sense of irreverent, fun-loving charm that endeared him to so many.
Those unfamiliar with the books were overjoyed to see the character return from his supposed death in The Two Towers, where, taking the new mantra of Gandalf the White, he helps lead the people of Middle Earth to war against the army of Mordor. Ultimately, McKellen is able to imbue the role with the authority and gravitas that it needs given Gandalf’s impact on the story, but he is also astute at imbuing the character with a certain mischief and playfulness. Astoundingly, McKellen wasn’t the first choice for Gandalf, but his performance solidifies the character not only as one of the best in the trilogy, but as one of the greatest movie wizards of all time.
1
Andy Serkis
Portrayed Gollum/Smeagol
An astonishing marriage of technical innovation and Andy Serkis’s sheer brilliance as a physical performer, the character Gollum marks quite possibly the single greatest filmmaking feat of the entire trilogy. A peculiar being that has been physically and psychologically changed by possession of the ring, Gollum serves as both Frodo and Sam’s unreliable but needed guide to Mordor and a horrific display of the ring’s power and the burden that Frodo bears.
Within the phenomenal technical craft of the character’s existence, however, Serkis’s performance strikes a deft balance between eccentric and inhuman extremism and poignant tragedy. Additionally, his ability to distinguish Gollum from Smeagol is extraordinary. It all makes Gollum an intricate, complex, pitiful, and volatile character that is at once profoundly sympathetic and malignantly villainous. For imbuing so extreme a character with such depth and emotional intrigue, Serkis’s performance is the best in the trilogy.