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Dispatches From the Front Lines
New Zealand actor Craig Parker never expected that his minor role as the Elf Haldir in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy would spur such a strong response from fans. A well-known face to New Zealand TV viewers, Parker is a relative unknown beyond his home country- but no more! In response to many requests from Fan Club members, Dan Madsen spoke with Parker recently about his role in The Lord of the Rings.
Parker was born in the island paradise of Fiji, where he says he has an "idyllic childhood." He moved to New Zealand with his family when he was 10 years old but says Fiji is still a "very special place to me- it was a very relaxed place to grow up." Likewise, working on The Lord of the Rings was a bit like paradise for the actor who says he "would have made cups of tea on the set just to be a part of it!"
Craig, when did you first realize that you wanted to be
an actor?
I think I was interested in acting very early on. I have a very
clear memory of watching a production of Peter Pan when I was
a kid and seeing him fly on stage, which just blew me away! I
must have been able to see the wires and such, but as a child
that didn't matter- the magic of the theatre removes those details.
That was a great thrill for me. It was really only in my teenage
years that I considered it as a job. I intended to be an actor
and was very fortunate that things happened the way they did.
You know, we walk ourselves to the cliff and then fall over it
accidentally!
How did you get the role of Haldir in LOTR?
Many years ago, when Peter, Fran and Phillippa were putting together
the script, they got a group of us in to make a radio play from
the scripts. At that point, there were only two scripts, and Miramax
was going to make the films. We recorded the scripts over a period
of weeks in the studio and then came back a year later and recorded
what has become three scripts. We came back yet again a few months
later and re-recorded them. I had a small amount of involvement
there. Then, when it came time for the films to happen, I did
a reading for them- as everyone in the country and the world did!-
and got a phone call saying I got the role, which was very exciting!
Have those original recordings ever been heard?
I don't know if they have ever been released. They were largely
for Peter, Fran and Phillipa to see how it flowed as a film and
to see how the dialogue sounded. I'm sure it was used as a selling
tool as well. Perhaps they may turn up on a DVD at some stage.
A lot of work was put into them. They were also made into animatics,
which is where it is all animated, and the dialogue is placed
over it.
Did you do those recordings with any of the other actors
who actually appeared in the films?
I think Cameron Rhodes (Farmer Maggot) might have been involved
with it. Liz Mullane, the casting agent in New Zealand, did one
session with us. I don't recall the other people involved with
it.
Did you play Haldir in the recordings?
No, I played Frodo mainly and Boromir. There were only eight of
us, so there were fantastic moments where one person was playing
three different characters in one scene- it was slightly schizophrenic!
I'm not sure who played Haldir; I don't know if I even remember
Haldir being in it!
When you auditioned for the film, were you reading for the
part of Haldir?
Yes, I was. I think there were probably six different pieces of
the script, which covered different racial types like Elves and
Hobbits, Haldir was the Elf I read for.
Once you were told you had the role, did you study the books
to understand who the Elves were?
I had read the books previously, and I did reread them. I had
actually started reading them before I heard I got the role, just
because the interest was huge around here. It also becomes a collaborative
process when you arrive on the set. You meet the producers and
the director and the makeup and costume people, and from all of
them, an idea emerges. So you take all of that and decide how
the character should act.
What was your first reaction when you saw yourself in the
makeup and costume with the long blond hair and pointed ears?
We laughed a lot! The joke around the set was that the Elves were
the drag queens! I'm sure it is easy to have the beauty of the
Elves when you live in a place like Lothlorien, but sitting around
on a dirty film set, tired, with your hair messed up, smoking
cigarettes, was not a pretty sight! There were some very funny
sights on the sets with the Elves.
Did you create any particularly tight bonds with other actors
on the set?
I think I found a great sort of humor match in Billy Boys and
Dom Monaghan, whom I spent a fair amount of time with. They have
a great sense of humor. I mainly worked with Viggo Mortensen and
Sean Bean and the Fellowship. I have a huge amount of respect
for someone like Sir Ian McKellen, whom I have watched for years.
I was very nervous about meeting him initially. I think others
have said this about him and the rest of the cast, but they were
all utterly charming, with no arrogance or playing the "star."
It was a very relaxed set, and everyone felt as ease with each
other. No one was throwing tantrums. We all had a great time.
How would you describe Peter Jackson?
He is remarkably calm. Often, he would be looking at three or
four different sets through satellite link-ups, directing all
of these areas and making sure they all fit together. He always
had time for questions. When it came time to shoot, he was there,
ready to go, calmly describing what was requited and how it would
all work together. He was an ideal director. I cannot imagine
the stress his brain must have been under shooting three films
at one time and having such a huge post-production aspect to it.
He was constantly thinking about where the computer generated
characters fit in and how this jigsaw fit together, and he constantly
remained sane and was polite. I have a great deal of admiration
and respect for him as a human being; he is genuine. You meet
people who are busy being humble, but I think Peter doesn't have
time for all the nonsense around filmmaking- he is busy making
the film. It's not about the other aspects of it.
When you were filming- especially on the Helm's Deep set-
did you ever stop and marvel at the size and scope of the project?
Constantly! The project was shot over three years, and my involvement
was very minor. I would come down for a week, disappear for a
month, and then go to another set for a week. Every time I arrived,
there would be something wonderful and new to look at. We filmed
part of Helm's Deep outdoors, and other parts were done in a studio
with computers. We shot for three months in a quarry in Wellington
in the middle of winter; it was cold and bleak, and no one saw
daylight. The crew was working under very difficult conditions,
yet there was a wonderful camaraderie and enjoyment to it. We
enjoyed the horror of the whole thing! It is breathtaking to arrive
on the set and see that they built a castle, a fortress, and it
is not made of polystyrene, it is made of concrete and rock with
exquisite artistry. Is it movie-making on a grand scale. New Zealand
has a wonderful little film industry, but we have 3.8 million
people, so we don't have the budget to make blockbusters. Compared
to America, our films are low-budget. To suddenly work on a piece
with the money to do these wonderful things and realize a vision
was so exciting! I think all of New Zealand was just elated.
The country must be very fortunate to have had these films
made there by native New Zealanders.
There is a wonderful sense of ownership and pride here. It is
almost as if everyone in this country either worked on, knows
someone, or is related to someone who worked on these films. We
are all very proud of them It is quite nice. I think New Zealand
sees them as "our little films we whipped up in Wellington."
The films are also driving a lot of tourists to New Zealand
as well.
Yes, we have quite a big place, and there are not many of us,
so tourists are welcome. The tourism department here is very aware
that a lot of the places where we filmed are protected land, so
any tourism that happens around those areas has to be very carefully
monitored. We don't want a million people trampling through and
throwing Coke bottles on the ground, but I don't think that is
going to happen. If someone makes the effort to travel into the
mountains, they usually tend to have a slightly higher degree
of responsibility about the environment.
As with other interviews, we've asked Fan Club members to
submit questions. Or first question comes from Dennis Basden of
Hoffman Estates, Illinois. How did you get in the mindset of playing
an Elven warrior?
The most difficult thing about being an Elf was trying to walk
while looking ahead without tripping over your feet! However,
I also spent a lot of time thinking about how they are and trying
to get my head around the idea that these people live for thousands
of years, which is not and easy leap! But a lot of the preparation
happens without you being fully aware of it.
How long did it take you to get into the full makeup and
costume for Haldir?
The whole thing took about two hours at some terrible hour in
the morning each day! It wasn't a huge prosthetics session- many
people had much longer makeup sessions than I did. But putting
the ears on and getting them absolutely seamless and perfect too
a good hour.
What was the most difficult moment for you on this production?
On the first day of fighting at Helm's Deep, I had been working
with sword master Bob Anderson, and his crew. I had done a little
sword fighting before on Hercules and Xena, but, suddenly we are
doing a full run of this scene and literally hundreds of giant
Uruk-hai, who are twice my size, come charging at me with axes
and swords and knives! I had to trust that they had instilled
in me the sword-fighting skills to defend myself. Moments like
that were a bit terrifying! But I came through t entirely unscathed,
as the stunt crews were fantastic. It was very exciting. I am
5'11", and I was fighting boys who were 6'5". Because
it was written in the script, I could beat them! That was fun!
Julia Ballard of Colorado asks: Given that Elves are advanced
in both matters of mind and body, is it possible that we will
be seeing Haldir in The Return of the King? In other words, did
Haldir, in fact, die at Helm's Deep?
Anything is possible!
What have you learned from your work on this film? Do you
have any lasting memories?
I think the thing that has truly amazed me on this project is
that one person, like Peter Jackson, can say, "OK, I'm going
to do this," and such a mammoth creature can be birthed from
that one person having the courage and the idea to follow it through.
Many, many people were involved in that birthing, but ultimately,
one person can change the world.
Are there particular scenes that you wish had made it into
the finished films?
I really don't regret where things were cut and changed, because
that was done for a story purpose. There was one scene we shot
with Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Martin Csokas, and I, and I
am sorry we never saw that because I adore Cate and Hugo so much.
The two films I have watched so far are so wonderful that I don't
really watch them worrying about me- I am just taken with the
whole magic of it. I also have to say that Gollum was just magnificent!
Thessa and Marike van Aerde of Tilburg, the Netherlands,
have asked about the scene in which Galadriel, Celeborn, and Elrond
discuss the state of the world in The Two Towers.
Yes, we did film that scene. The purpose of the scene was to show
the argument of the Elves who were saying, "Our time is done,
we're moving on, and the world is left to me." The other
argument is, "We have a responsibility here- we have lived
together and fought together, and now it is time to honor the
agreement we have with Men." That is pretty much what that
deleted scene was saying, but that comes across in the film, anyway,
I think; it all makes sense in the final cut.
Do you think that scene will be added into the extended
DVD of the Two Towers?
I really don't know; it is possible. that's the great thing about
DVDs- you can get all this extra material. I'm in love with DVDs
at the moment!
Sue Herrera of Winnemucca, Nevada asks: Your portrayal of
Haldir's death was truly heart-rendering- what were you thinking
as you acted that scene to be able to capture such emotion?
Well, the reason Haldir turns up at Helm's Deep is something that
Peter Jackson was keen on right from the start: Elves are immortal.
They live until they choose not to, or they die in battle. Peter
wanted to see that, He wanted to show that the world was changing
to much that we would see Elves die. I think he achieved that
quite well. When we were shooting that scene, in front of me were
literally hundreds of bodies lying around- Elves and Orcs and
Uruk-hai. the make-believe aspect was not that difficult because
there was a battle carnage scene in front of me. Who knows what
death is like? But at that point, Haldir loses faith. He believe
all is lost, and there is nothing that can be done anymore. They
have rallied and done what they can. but I think he believes that
is is over. It's not the greatest way to die.
Where you able to do that in just one take?
Yes- I don't think it was particularly difficult. There was a
lot of fighting from the first blow until the mortal blow, and
that was difficult- trying to remember that there is a big guy
behind you with an axe, and you've got to fend that off or otherwise
your head gets split open! Those were the things that were difficult;
the actual acting side of it was reasonably easy.
Was there some significance to Aragorn putting his hand
on Haldir's heart in the death scene?
I'm not sure. Aragorn has a relationship with the Elves. He has
lived with them and is aware of their ways and customs. There
is a fellowship between him and the Elves, I guess it is an Elven
aspect of Aragorn.
When you took on the role of Haldir, did you know he was
going to die in the second film?
No, not initially. I found out later, when I was talking with
Philippa Boyens, and she said, "We're thinking of doing this."
I thought, "Oh great! More shooting, and I get to go into
battle!" I was thrilled that I was able to be a part of the
film in a small way.
Fan Club member "Bear" asks: I've heard the members
of the Fellowship discuss the weapons training they went through
for their roles. Did you also have this kind of training and can
you tell us a little about it?
I had spent quite a bit of time with the stunt team and with Bob
Anderson, who was very cool. He had fought with Errol Flynn in
older film and had played Darth Vader in the Empire Strikes Back
lightsaber duel. He is a masterful swordsman and a wonderful English
gentleman. He tool me through a lot of the basics of fencing and
fighting. I would then work with the sword crews, stunt crews,
and fight coordinators. We spent a lot of time going over the
sequences of the battles. We all left slightly bruised at the
end of the day but feeling really good and really tough! It was
great fun!
You were also using a bow weren't you?
Yes, a little bit. They were probably the most difficult things,
because they are so big and awkward. We did do a series of shots
with the bows. In some shots we were using arrows, and some were
done without. Some shots we did out in the quarry, and the volleys
went into the black abyss in front of us. Others were done in
the studio, where there were mattresses and various people hiding
behind armor and stuff to deflect them. It was a mixture of all
sorts of things, and I am not even sure what is real and is CGI
when I watch the film.
Shiela Conners of Pennsylvania asks: Were you pleased that
we got to see more of your role in the extended DVD of FOTR?
You now, I haven't seen the DVD yet. I got a copy for Christmas,
but it is till in the box! I haven't been home for the last two
months, as I have been in Wellington doing a play. I'll be back
home in a week and a half, so I'll watch it then.
Frances Sangil of the Philippines asks: If you didn't play
the role of Haldir and had a choice, which character would you
have loved to play?
That's a hard question. My attitude, right from the beginning
when I knew these films were going to happen, was that I would
have made cups of tea on the set just to be a part of it! I would
have loved to play any character!
Are people starting to recognize you from the films?
In New Zealand, I do a television show, so I am recognized locally.
I think people here are proud that another "Kiwi" is
in the film. But I am in no danger of being mugged as I walk down
a Tokyo street... at least not yet!
Alice of Reading, England, wants to know: You recently attended
a LOTR convention in Germany. What did you think of the reaction
you received there?
I was blown away by it! I have a number of friends who have been
involved on the Hercules and Xena shows and have been to those
conventions and would tell wonderful stories of them. I wasn't
quite sure what to expect. I assumed it would be full of mad people,
which was definitely not the case, thankfully! I was there with
some friends of mine, and we just had the best time. The people
were wonderful! I didn't meet any mad people. It was wonderful
seeing the power that this story as... People knew it so intimately
and cared so much for J.R.R. Tolkien that it seemed like the films
had done well by them; the films hadn't twisted it too much. It
was a very surreal time but quite wonderful. It was very strange
to get up in the morning and wander downstairs for breakfast and
see Hobbits and Ents wandering around!
Melanie Candra of Yardley, Pennsylvania asks: What is your
reaction to the incredibly large internet fan base that has developed
around you and the character Haldir and the outcry against his
death at Helm's Deep?
Well, Haldir doesn't die in the book- he's there at the end hopping
into the boat. I find it very flattering that people care so much
about all of this. I haven't really waded onto the internet yet.
It's a Pandora's box as far as I'm concerned. You don't want to
look too closely, because just as you begin to feel very flattered,
you will also read something that isn't so flattering. So I try
to avoid doing that! It's often best that you don't know what
people are saying about you behind your back. But I do find it
very flattering and a little odd!
What are you currently doing? Anything coming up?
At the moment, I am finishing a season of doing the musical The
Rocky Horror Picture Show. I then go back to working the next
six months on a series called Mercy Peak, which is a television
series here in New Zealand. I think it's playing in Canada now,
too; at the end of the series, it will probably play in Europe,
but we tend to not sell a lot to the United States. It is an hour-long
series that takes place in a small town- individual stories each
week but with recurring characters. It is kind of like the US
television show Northern Exposure. That takes me to the end of
the year, and then, after that, I have no idea what I'll be doing-
maybe I'll take a long holiday!
Craig, thanks so much for talking with us.
Well, thank you very much! Good talking with you!