Fellowship Festival Live Q&A, July 2005

Question: Hi Craig, me and Donna are gonna miss you much at Dragon. I will be looking after Brucie (Hopkins) again. 🙂 My question is, are you gonna do anymore Power Ranger Loop Groups when in Nz? Also, could you explain a little about what the Loop Groups are. Have fun at your cons. Cheers, Janet.

Craig: hi everyone, things are a little slow here so please bear with us. hi janet… lovely to hear from you. no… no more power rangers… that was a favour for a friend… lots of silly fun but tnot the greatest art in the world

Question: :Hey there Craig! Hope that you are well. Here are my questions:
1. Do you have a motto that you live by?
2. If you can remember, what is the strangest thing a fan has done or given when meeting you at a convention?
thank you! xx
Craig: motto for life… hmmmmm…. everything in excess… borrowed from mr
wilde.

Question: Kia ora, Craig, (may I call you Craig?!) I hope you are well and having a good time. Maybe you can help me with a question: You grew up in NZ. So, if I call you (or any other of your countrymen) “Kiwi,” do I run the risk of getting in big trouble? Or is it more like a pet name? Don’t misunderstand me. I love kiwis (the fruit is very tasty and the birds are.. uh, nice? 😀 ). But in connection with people – in my (german) ears – it sounds a little bit impolite, if not even condescending or insulting, even if literature claims the opposite. Anyhow, I do not dare, calling s.o. living in or coming from NZ kiwi. What way do you see it? Kind regards from Germany Heike
Craig: kiora… no, we kiwis find no insult… call us what ever you like as long as it’s with a smile on your face.

Question: Hi Craig, nice to “see” you here! 🙂 The Crazy Hungarian Girlz are sending their greetings to you 🙂 And here are some questions:
Are you or going to play in theater in London? As far as I know, you like sci-fi. Do you like Star Trek Enterprise? If so, who is your fav character in the show, and what’s your opinion about it’s cancellation?
Craig: hey penn, howdie… no plans at this stage for theatre… but stay tuned. i don’t know enterprise other that the guy from quantum leap is in it… i loved that show.

Question: Hey, I’ll keep it short. Will you be wearing a suit at the feasts this year and did you like your birthday book from us on here?
Ta, Renee
Craig: dear renne, i loved the book… i will keep it until i’m old and grey! and yes…. more suits… you can never have too many suits… i love them!!!

Question: hiya craig, unfortunatly i am unable to come to the festival this year and i was wondering if their would be one next year which i would be able to come to? by the way i think your a great actor!
Love Erin xxx
Craig: hi erin, sorry you can’t make it this year… it’s gonna be the best ever!!!!!! but i’m sure the next years one will be even better…. louise made me say that! and to everyone… sorry if i’m being slow…. i’m alowed to type thgis yaer. me tyipe goade

Question: Hi Craig! *hugggg* Really nice to “see” you again! Hope you are fine! My questions to you are: Do you have animals at home? And if you have, what animals?
If you don’t, What’ your favourite animal? Do you like reptiles? And last question: Do you like horses *laughs* and not dead horses for dinner.. I mean living horses. Many hugggggss and greetings from Holland! *waves with both hands* See you at Ring*con!
Craig: hugs back to holland! love animals of all kinds…. was a dog person… but probably more a cat person now… have none at the moment… life is a sad an lonley place without an animal… perhaps one day i’ll be allowed one again.

Question: Hi Craig, my questions are
1) When filming your scenes at Helms Deep how many takes did it take you to nail the haldir death sequence, from the point of being stabbed to dying in aragorn’s arms?
2) If you could star in a movie from a book adaptation, of any book that you have read what would it be and why that book?
Craig: hi spooky…. whoooooooooo!!!! you know, i can’t quite remember exactly but it seemed that we did the falling to my knees bit a huge number of times. and the dropping of head to floor bit… how we actors suffer… all that and viggo sweatting all over me. crumbs!
ps… sorry if you are still waiting… my little fingers are going numb.

Question: Hi, Craig!
Thanks so much for agreeing to get online with this wild and crazy bunch again! And thanks aaaevents for arranging this chat. Craig, several of my questions have been asked, and I dont’ want to get repetitive so….
1. Looking back on the time since filming LOTR and the cons and events that have come from that role, can you tell us what Haldir means to you now. What the role has given or meant to you personally and professionally.
2. Is there something in your personal or professional life that you particularly want to accomplish? – travel to a particular place, play a particular role, etc.
3. Last year, you mentioned you were more of a cat person than a dog person. Do you have a cat now? Or did you ever?
Hugs from Kathy
Craig: m’lady, what does he mean to me… i really don’t know. it’s given me the fantastic oportunity to meet so many people and to wander the world… my idea of heaven… also a serious amount of ribbing from friend about me in a blond wig! as to animals… see previous.

Question: Hey C! What CD are you listening to????? And Whats your Fave bands/music groups? El x
Craig: hi el, i love the kaiser chiefs and british sea power… also antony and the johnsons… brilliant!!! what’s you fav?

Question: Hi Craig! 😀 I read on the website of your management that you are a PADI Advanced Diver. Now I would like to know: What was your best diving experience and where did it take place? Looking forward to see you on the Festival and on Ring*Con! 😉 Warmest wishes from Germany, Lessien
Craig: hi les… i adore diving… it’s like flying in a dream… beautiful! probably the best places have been fiji and tahit… manta rays I bora bora!!! incredible!!!!!!!!

Question: Hiyah Craig!!, Ok here goes the question!, THE END IS NIGH!!(Not really!). The world ends in two days,what three things would you like to do before you “Pop your clogs!”. *Smiles knowing number one is”Eat lots of Lavabread!!”.* Huggles aplenty to you Craig!! Sian(Welshy saucepot!!).
Craig: sian, you sexy taffy!!!! how i’ve missed you. i’m waiting for the end myself. can we watch it together?

Question: Dear Craig! We have a question, which has been a burning issue for a while now and given us some sleepless nights. Do you live in a furniture store? We watched a few snippets of “Homefront” (beautiful bathroom by the way ) and we noticed that you, apparently, do not have any worldly possessions in you flat. There wasn’t even a shower head attached to your bath tub. Did you remove the things beforehand? Was it an IKEA showroom (by way, do you also like the hotdogs, there? )? Or is your house furnished according to the rules of Feng Shui and corresponds to a minimalistic principle, that ensures an all round comfortable feeling?!Best wishes, Kiwi-Connection
Craig: hey kiwi, my home is perfect and minimal… just like my life! yeah, sure… the thing with those shows is that when they come around, you tidy like a demon… all the crap was hidden in the garage.

Question: Hi Craig, I hope you are well! And that you’ve been working on your typing skills since last year.. 😉 Just kidding! 🙂 Got two questions for you this time:
1) You haven’t been doing any conventions since last fall. Are you planning to just keep doing the big cons (tFF & Ring*Con) or will you ever go back to doing the smaller ones as well?
2) What are you most looking forward to at this years Festival? See you next month, take care! Kristin xx
Craig: sorry… typing even worse and much slower! i know i’v said it before but i really mean it this time… honest! these two will probably be my last… true!

Question: my question for Craig is Did you enjoy filming the Xena episodes and would you like to star in your own show with that theme?
Craig: i loved xena… lucy and rene were goddesses! they made it such a pleasure to work on… but crumbs, what hard work it was for them. much more fun to just turn up and play.

Question: 1.) What was your reason for moving to London? Have your plans which caused that move came true?
Craig: i ask myself that question often… espec. in winter. i just came for a holiday and ended up here a year later… maybe cos louise lives here… yep… that’s it… louise… honest… her sitting next to me make’s no difference to my answer… honest…

Question: Here’s a question from me and Dea… We’ve heard that the New Zealand flag might be changing and we’ve seen some of the proposed designs. Do you think it should change, and if so do you have any suggestions for what it should be changed to? 🙂 We’re both glad to hear you’re alright and looking forward to seeing you in August! Also, Dea sends her love and best wishes.Wyv x
Craig: hi lovilies, i have missed the debate… not quite sure how i feel… does one remember the past or look to the future… hmmmm… thankfully greater minds than mine will decide. maybe a picture of peter jackson?

Question: Dear Craig, my name is Yamica from Switzerland. I have only a little question about your costume in LOTR: On the DVD we can see the configuration of the elvish armours. They looks very complex… how much time and how many helper were require to get it on? And how many chances did you have to pass on the half of those clothes? Thank you *kiss*
Craig: hey darlin, the costume and armour was brilliant! it took several people and lots of patience to truss me into everything and then keep me in it. i kept breaking bits and secretly undoing bits when no one was looking. the armour was fiberglass…. very unforgiving after a big lunch!

Question: Hi Craig., nice to meet you here 🙂 how are you? I hope you are well. Craig – what are you doing to now, any projek, what is it? Greetings form Germany, Kerstin
Craig: hi kerstin, how are you. at this very moment, apart from doing this… i’m working on my typing skills writing some stuff with a friend of mine… it’s got a long way to go but we keep ourselves amused with it. it’s amazing how brilliant one can be locked in a room with a friend, a bottle of wine and a computer.

Question: Hi Craig! I know I’ve asked this before, but I never got an answer last year.. Will you ever come to Sweden? We’re really nice here you know 😉
Craig: Big hello from us here in Sweden!! still no sweden for me… hopefully soon… a dear friend just had a very big night there with swedish friend, drinking gallons of schnapps and crayfish. she was very sore the next day. you people are bad!

Question: Hi, Craig, We never met, and unfortunately we probably never will. I just want to say your energy and your personality never cease to amaze me. Who or what can you credit to your awesome generosity toward other people; including your fans?
Craig: you are very kind… the only thing i can credit for my energy is an evil alien symbiote that i was force to swallow during an abduction from the mid west of America when i was very young. opps… that’s a secret… don’t tell!

Question: My sister Otava (ottu), is really sorry for not being able to be here, but she asked me to send you a big hug from her and ask: Would you like to visit Finland some day? What kind of things have you heard about it? Oh yes, thank you for the amusing skit about Finland and igloos and orcs! Another question, Have you tried a sauna yet? (We mean the real sauna!) Hope you enjoy your chat! Warm wishes coming from Finland, Aura and Otava
Craig: mmmm… finland… don’t you all beat each other with birch twigs and run around naked? sound like a great place to me.

Question: Here are my questions for Craig
1. Craig, how was your bedroom decorated as a teenager?
2. Do you have a middle name and if so would you tell us what it is?
3. Do you have any pets?
Thank you
Craig: hi, bedroom was decorated with all my dirty clothes until my mum picked them up… and the odd david bowie poster… oh yeah, and the odd bit of food under my bed. oh yeah… i could tell my middle name but i would have to destroy everyone on this thread… sorry.

Question: Hey Craig! Thank you so much for coming here tonight, we really appreciate it! 😀 I hope you’re enjoying your summer and I can’t wait to meet you in August!
Ok, two questions…
1. If you could be any person in the world for a day, then who would it be?
2. And do you have any plans on going to Sweden? 😀 hehe
Thanks again Craig!
Craig: crumbs… i guess louise, cos she is so wonderful!!! or bush… and i’d play with knives a lot. oppps… sorry everyone… just realised that i’ve been replying and not quoting… so i guess you have no idea who i was replying to… opppps! sorry!!! will be better from now on… but to work it all out, i have been replying to them in order… will quote from now on.

Question: Okay just one question from waaaay across the pond in New York…
Although you were well known in NZ for your television works over there, LOTR launched you into the world at a whirlwind pace… what do you miss most from the days when you were living a life outside of the spotlight? and do you think you will ever get that back? a sense of narmalcy that is… and do you want it back?
thanks and huggles to ya!Felicia
Craig: hey darlin, before this i used to carry my own battery powered, spotlight. sad, huh! really, my life carries on as it has always… all the other stuff is just fun and never to be taken too seriously.

Question: Hi Craig. Great to see you coming back to entertain us again this year 🙂 Just wondered if you consider yourself to be a day or night person?
Craig: night, abso….fing……lutly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Question: Hi craig. I finally thought of an couple of questions. It’s been a while since you did some theatre and I just wondered if you planned to do any soon and what type of theatre or which plays would you think of doing? One other question who else would you have liked to play in Rocky Horror Show and why?
Craig: i would love to do some more theatre… it’s the best… just had a few meetings with some theatres around town so maybe something later in the year.

Question: Hiya Craig! ok, just a random question: What was the last thing you were guilty about? Cant wait to see you in August 😀 Amy xxx
Craig: terribly guilty about hitting reply instead of quote… ( it was really louise’s fault… she’s not looking so i can say that now… help me!!!! please!!!!! i’m tied to the chair and she is….opps, she’s coming back….) got to go….

Question: Hi Craig! Hello from Germany to you! Im glad you’re here with us. Because I ain’t a native speaker, I apologise for potential translation errors. Okay, I have 2 Questions:
1. It’s been brilliant how you did this “elvish arrogance” expression especially in The Fellowship. I loved it. 😉 But we didn’t get to know you as an arrogant person, rather as someone who is lovely. is there a situation in which you would tend to be arrogant (in real life)?
2. Haldirs costume in “The Fellowships” looks like a wrap-around dress. Was it something along those lines? For the next time, you have a chat with us, I want to make you an offer: I’ll type for you (cause Im really fast), so you can answer more questions. 😉 Hope to see you in Fulda…have a good time. Greetz and xx
Craig: Sanni, your english is as perfect as your typing… xxx i tend to get really cross with people who are overy officious or bureaucratic… that’s the time i get really grumpy and rather unpleasent… not pretty!

Question: Hey Craig! 😉 *hugs* Did you always want to become an actor and what or who inspired you?? I wrote a sketch for the next RingCon, I hope you’re gonna like it, I had to change it and it’s about some lotr people on an interesting shooting day, Haldir doesn’t want to die and stuff. So enjoy it )
Craig: i can’t wait to see it! as dumb as it sounds, i saw peter pan at the theatre when I was a child and i feel in love with the flying. brilliant.

Question: Hi Craig, hope you’re fine and that you have that big smile on your face that your fans like so much. I just wanted to know, if you really get the things of the fan packages, that some fans send you to new zealand? What do you think about those packages? Looking forward to see you at Ringcon. Love, Sunny!
Craig: hi sunny, still smiling. i haven’t been in nz for a while so i haven’t got anything recently… will caTCH UP WHEN NEXT BACK.. opps… hit caps lock… i hope no one sent a puppy… or if they did it had air holes and lots to eat.

Question: Omigosh! I did this last year, but I’m still VERY excited! (Heck, you BIT me last year ;-)) Questions:
1. A while ago, you mentioned in an interview that you would love to go to Africa because it’s so beautiful, and Mexico. I was wondering if you had managed to travel to either place yet and what it was like for you?
2. When acting, it is VERY difficult to keep from laughing on stage…how do you keep from dying from held in laughter…or no laughing PERIOD?
4. Being an actor you have to face many dangers. What’s the worst one you have faced, and do you like doing dangerous things such as sky-diving, ATV riding, hill-hopping?
Sorry, if this was a little “formal” and booooring…and long, I’m a Hoosier, ain’t got no good sense of when ta shut me mouth 😉 Thanks for coming back on and gracing us with your presence! It’s really great, and cheered me up a lot!! Cheers!! (try not to get too drunk afterwards :dude:) ~MJ xxxxxx
Craig: sadly still no africa or mexico… still time left! i hope. i constantly fight against laughing… not just on stage… usually when it’s vital that one doesn’t. don’t we all have that urge at funerals… or is that just me?

Question: Suilad Craig. Rumil here. Do you plan to come to the ststes anytime soon? Like close to St.Louis?:D And what do you think of all the pictures of Haldir that are out there? Hope you like the pic.
Ru
Craig: perhaps dragoncon… my friend donna wants me to go so we can misbehave… in a very nice georgia way, of course. i must admit… some of the haldir pictures i have seen really scare me… but hey, no one loses an eye, so what’s the harm.

Question: Hello Craig, It’s awsome that you take your time to answer our questions. That is so wonderful! ^_^ My questions;
1; New Zealand is known for the home of bungee jumping. Did you do it along with others from Lord of the Rings while filming or tried it before even? If you have, in how many places and where?
2; What is your reaction to the fan fiction written about you and about Haldir in particular with slash/yaoi/male-male content?
3; After becoming more known around the world, have you met any other celebrity that you have absolutely admired in the past, and so been overly thrilled about meeting them? Sort of someone who was an inspiration for you? And…. Have you ever had a “fanboy” moment? [Like fangirls kinda moment =3DD]
Craig: Cheers and hugs and thank you bunches! ^_^bungie is stupid!!!! Really stupid!!!! slash… i don’t read it but as long as no one loses an eye, yay! as i’ve said, if my alter ego is having a great time, who am i to butt in.as for the fan boy stuff… perhaps david bowie…dunno.

Question: Hi craig, My name is Desiree, Just have one question: have you been on any interesting travels lately? Thanks, have fun!!!
Craig: last place was greece… brilliant… dinner in an amazing villa on the hills of sparta… where they used to leave there children out to die. how things have changed. no one died this night but a fair amount of dignity was lost. brilliant!

Question: QUERIDO CRAIG:EVERYBODY WHO MET YOU SAYS YOU’RE SUCH A WONDERFUL GUY,KIND,SWEET AND FUNNY .SO DO YOU HAVE A BAD SIDE??? TELL ME ALL THE AWFULL THRUTH ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY……LILITH OF LORIEN IN ARGENTINA.
Craig: hey lilith, there are so many bad bits to me… they are often the bits i like the most about myself… no one should be too nice.