John is best known for playing Zurial in 30 Days of Night (2007) and Hell Rider in the 2010 movie, The Warrior’s Way. In April 2012, when it was announced that he would be playing Azog, fans were left feeling confused because Peter Jackson had written on his Facebook page back in May 2011 that Conan Stevens had been cast in the part. He wrote: ‘Last, and certainly not least, is Conan Stevens, who will be playing an Orc called Azog (Orcs are never called Roger or Dennis for some strange reason). And yes that’s his name – Conan! Isn’t that cool? Azog is played by Conan! Here’s a photo of Conan and I together. I’m pretty tall, probably at least 6’5” or 6’6” I would guess, so that gives you some clue how tall Conan is!’
It was then reported that it had been ‘misinformation’ first time around and instead Conan would be playing Bolg. Fans writing on online forums suggest that Peter had been right initially but that Conan had been promoted to Bolg because it is a bigger part, so that’s why John replaced him.
Bain
Name: Bain
Race: Man of Dale
Played by: John Bell
Character description: Bain is the son of Bard the Bowman and becomes king after his father.
The actor chosen to play Bain was 13-year-old John Bell from Paisley in Scotland. He is best known for playing orphan Toby Coleman in the second series of Tracy Beaker Returns (2010) and Angus in the 2011 movie Battleship.
John’s first acting job was in a play in Glasgow when he was seven years old. The thing he finds the most fun about being an actor is getting to travel and meeting new people, but he dislikes being told he’s been unsuccessful after auditioning for a part he really wants to play. John’s favourite book is Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, his favourite TV show is Glee and his favourite band is Iron Maiden. When filming The Hobbit, he had to have a tutor so he didn’t miss out on school. His classmates at home are really supportive and couldn’t wait to see him in the movie.
When John was listed in an official press release as being a member of The Hobbit ensemble cast, fans were a bit confused because they had never heard of him. Hollywood Teen’Zine managed to track John down before anyone else and asked him about the role he would be playing. He said: ‘I have just finished filming a small part in the film Battleship in Louisiana and I am about to start another project that I can’t say anything about just yet. I have been offered a part in The Hobbit … my character is confident and brave and ready to do battle if required, even though he is still a boy. I have read The Hobbit and loved it, and I love Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films, so you can definitely call me a fan.’
They also asked him to reveal a bit about himself and he said: ‘I am 13 years old and have been acting since I was 7. I have been in Doctor Who in the UK and several other British programmes. Shine of Rainbows is my first feature film. I play the trumpet, drums and keyboard. I enjoy snowboarding and cycling and going to the cinema with my friends.’
John got his big break by entering a Blue Peter competition, which gave him the opportunity to act in an episode of Doctor Who alongside David Tennant. The actor he really rates is Jack Nicholson and his favourite film is The Shining – a strange choice for someone his age as it’s a 15-rated horror movie!
Eagle-eyed fan Gaer Carreg was the first to suggest that John would be playing Bain as he had noticed some tweets going from John’s official Twitter to Luke Evans’ official Twitter. John had tweeted on 6 October ‘@Mr_Luke_Evans thanks Da! Happy now! See you soon. X’
Luke (Bard) had replied: ‘@johnbell123 no problem son! See you soon back in NZ.’
Balin
Name: Balin
Alias: Balin, Lord of Moria; Balin, Son of Fundin
Race: Dwarf of the House of Durin
Played by: Ken Stott
Character description: Balin wears a red hood and looks very old. The brother of Dwalin, he is the second oldest dwarf on the quest. He was also the second dwarf to arrive at Bilbo’s home and is the dwarf usually given the job of lookout.
The actor chosen to play Balin was Ken Stott. Ken was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to his Sicilian mother, Antonia Sansica, and Scottish father. His dad was assistant head at the school that Ken was to attend. While growing up, Ken loved both music and acting and was a member of a band called Keyhole. Years after they split, his former bandmates formed the Bay City Rollers.
Ken trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, but this hindered him when he tried to get acting jobs in Scotland. Struggling to earn enough money to live on, he supplemented his acting income with a second job as a double glazing salesman. He might have struggled at the beginning of his career but he is now one of the most-loved Scottish actors. Ken is best known for playing Detective Chief Inspector Red Metcalfe in Messiah, Detective Inspector Pat Chappel in The Vice and Adolf Hitler in Uncle Adolf.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ken’s voice was used for Trufflehunter the badger in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008).
Ken is a consummate professional and in March 2009 stopped a performance of the play A View from the Bridge when schoolchildren in the audience started making lots of noise. An audience member later wrote on the What’s On Stage website: ‘From where I was sitting, I wasn’t too aware of them – I definitely did hear them giggling at a few inappropriate moments, though. Since they were in the front row, I’m sure they must have been really irritating to the cast. His performance is so incredible and must require such a level of concentration that it is totally fair of him not to tolerate distractions like that.
‘Their teacher was arguing that they hadn’t done anything, and the ushers were trying their best to sort things out, and people in the audience were indeed getting quite rowdy and rebellious. It was all a bit uncomfortable. There were so many schoolchildren there and they were pretty silent after that little incident.’
DID YOU KNOW?
When Ken and his fellow dwarf actors were moving around on location they would quite often sit on an open-topped trailer together and be pulled along by a tractor.
Ken was thrilled to film The Hobbit in New Zealand as he revealed in the first dwarves’ press conference: ‘The credentials to shooting here are really second to none. It’s not just because it’s the spiritual home, you could say, for the piece but simply because it has fantastic facilities – the envy of the rest of the world.’
At the same press conference Mark Hadlow (Dori) said: ‘It’s an amazing experience as a theatre actor, when you’ve been an admirer for years, as I have been, of Ken Stott’s work on stage and screen. To meet with him and get to talk about all the things that we share, has been extraordinary.’
Bard
Name: Bard
Alias: Bard the Bowman, Bard the Dragon-shooter, King Bard
Race: Man of Dale
Played by: Luke Evans
Character description: Bard has long black hair and is the captain of a group of archers. After he kills Smaug the dragon, he becomes a great leader. He is a Man of Lake-town.
Luke Evans was chosen to play Bard.