Ian McKellen to Cate Blanchett: Where ‘The Lord of the Rings’ actors are now

One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them. 

Well, we don’t know about darkness, but The Lord of the Rings trilogy and characters did bind themselves in our hearts. And now, even after 20 years, the movie series is still (my) precious to fans, the actors and the makers! So much so, that new spin-offs in the form of TV shows (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video) or video games keep coming out. Therefore, it is only fair that we ask what The Lord of the Rings actors now are up to.  

However, despite all the new material, it is the nostalgia of the original trilogy that makes it difficult for fans to move on. They continue to inspire re-watch marathons. And, while fans cannot move on (and rightly so, because the movies are such classics!), the cast of The Lord of the Rings has moved away from The Shire. 

The Lord of the Rings actors, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Andy Serkis, among others, have since starred in many brilliant films. Moreover, the trilogy also catapulted the careers of many of its other cast members. Therefore, it is interesting to see where The Lord of the Rings actors now are and what they are up to. 

But before that, let’s dive deeper into the realm of Mordor, The Shire and its residents. 

The Lord of the Rings: A look into the movies

Adapted from the book series of the same name by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003) is one of the most successful and influential movie series of all time — earning over USD 2.99 billion worldwide and garnering 17 Academy Awards.

Interestingly, all three films of The Lord of the Rings movie series; The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers and The Return of the King were simultaneously shot in New Zealand.

Set in middle-earth, the plot follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) on an adventure after he inherits a magical ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Under the guidance of Gandalf the Grey (Sir Ian Mckellen), Frodo along with his best friend and neighbour, Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) embarks on a journey to Mordor. 

Now that we have revisited the premise and the setting, let us look at The Lord of the Rings actors. 

Where are the The Lord of the Rings actors now?

Elijah Wood aka Frodo

Despite Frodo becoming invisible after wearing the ring, Elijah Wood’s career after The Lord of the Rings has remained anything but. After playing the character of the compassionate Frodo Baggins, The Lord of the Rings actor starred in many critically acclaimed films. He acted in the acclaimed sci-fi movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) beside Sin City (2005), Bobby (2006) and more. 

He also expanded into voice acting, lending his voice in films such as Happy Feet (2006), Happy Feet Two (2011), English dub of Studio Ghibli’s The Wind Rises (2014) among others. In 2011-12, Wood reprised his role of Frodo Baggins in the cast of The Lord of the Rings for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. 

Venturing into business, in 2010 he set up a film production company called The Woodshed which was later renamed SpectreVision in 2013.

He was recently seen in the superhero horror comedy movie, The Toxic Avenger (2023). Next up, Wood will star in The Monkey, an upcoming supernatural horror film. 

He is married to Mette-Marie Kongsved, a Danish film producer. They have two children together, a son (b. 2019) and a daughter (b. 2022). 

Sean Astin aka Samwise Gamgee 

Sean Astin followed up his stint in the trilogy with his roles as Doug Whitmore in 50 First Dates (2004), Bill in Click (2006), Oso in Special Agent Oso (2009-2012), Bob Newby in the second season of Netflix’s Stranger Things (2017), Ed in No Good Nick (2019), a guest appearance in season 5 of Supergirl, among others. 

Subsequently Astin, just like Wood, also expanded his career to include voice-over roles. He voiced Raphael in Nickelodeon’s animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and will narrate the upcoming comedy film Go West.  

Recently he was seen in Hard Miles (2023), The Shift (2023) and Holiday Twist (2023). Astin will also star in Cash Out, an upcoming action film.  

He is married to Christine Harrell. They have three daughters together, Alexandria (b. 1996), Elizabeth (b. 2002) and Isabella (b. 2005). 

Orlando Bloom aka Legolas 

Considered the Errol Flynn of his time, Orlando Bloom, after playing Legolas in The Lord of the Rings, went on to play some of the most iconic characters in epic fantasy, historical and adventure films. For example, he played Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (2003-07, 2017), Paris in Troy (2004), Balian de Iblin in Kingdome of Heaven (2005) and the Duke of Buckingham in The Three Musketeers (2011).  

His most recent project has been the Prime Video series Carnival Row (2019-2023). He will also appear in an upcoming film, Wizards! starring Pete Davidson, Naomi Scott and more.  

In 2009, Bloom was appointed as the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in recognition of his commitment towards children’s rights. Additionally, in 2023, he became the Chief Wellness Officer and investor at the plant-based nutrition brand, Form Nutrition.  

He has a son (b. 2011) from his marriage to model Miranda Kerr (div. 2013), and a daughter (b. 2020) with musician Katy Perry. 

Sir Ian McKellen aka Gandalf the Grey

To be fair, it seems rather pointless to mention where Sir Ian McKellen has been since starring in The Lord of the Rings trilogy because he lives in our hearts. But still, the man, the myth, the legend, one of the best Lord of the Rings actors, Sir Ian McKellen went on to play many more iconic roles. For instance, he was Magneto in the X-Men films (2000-2020), Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Number Two in The Prisoner (2009).  

In 2007, the legendary English actor returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company, in productions of King Lear and The Seagull. Along with Patrick Stewart, he also starred in a double production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land on Broadway at the Cort Theatre.  

Sir McKellen reprised his role of Gandalf the Grey in The Hobbit trilogy from 2012-2014 and most recently appeared in the period thriller, The Critic (2023).  

Andy Serkis aka Gollum 

Andy Serkis is a legend when it comes to motion capture. A recipient of an Empire Award and two Saturn Awards for his motion capture-acting, Serkis has played some of the most celebrated roles in pop culture, including but not limited to King Kong in the 2005 film, Caesar in the Planet of the Apes reboot series (2011-2017) and Supreme Leader Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy films (2015-2017).  

In 2012, Serkis reprised his role of Gollum in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, followed by his directorial debut in 2017 with the film Breathe. He also went on to direct Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). 

Since The Lord of the Rings, Serkis has also delved into the world of audiobooks. For example, during the pandemic in 2020, he partnered up with Harper Collins UK to narrate The Hobbit for Audible. And then, he also recorded all three of The Lord of the Rings books the following year.  

Most recently, in May 2024, it was announced that Serkis would direct, executive produce, and star in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, a new LOTR instalment in the film series for Warner Bros. Pictures., which is expected to be released in 2026.

Cate Blanchett aka Galadriel 

Recognised for her work across commercial as well as independent cinema, Cate Blanchett steals the spotlight in literally any movie she stars in. So naturally after playing Galadriel in the cast of Lord of the Rings, she portrayed Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004) and won an Oscar. Then, once again for Blue Jasmine (2013).  

Some of her biggest commercial successes since Lord of the Rings particularly include Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Cinderella (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Ocean’s 8 (2018) and Don’t Look Up (2021). 

In 2022, Blanchett starred in the film Tár, which received much critical acclaim. In 2023, she starred in an Australian drama film The New Boy. She also reprised her role of Hela for season 2 of Marvel’s What If... 

Blanchett will next star in the Apple TV+ series Disclaimer. She will also portray Lilith in Borderlands, a live-action adaptation of a video game of the same name.  

She is married to Andrew Upton, and they have four kids together.  

Liv Tyler aka Arwen 

Post the success of her role as Arwen in Lord of the Rings, Liv Tyler appeared in many films such as Jersey Girl (2004), Lonesome Jim (2005), Reign Over Me (2007), The Incredible Hulk (2008), Space Station 76 (2014), HBO’s supernatural series The Leftovers (2014-2017), Ad Astra (2019) and many more.  

Further, it was announced in March 2023, that she will be returning as Betty Ross in Captain America: Brave New World, almost 15 years after she first appeared in The Incredible Hulk. 

Moreover, The Lord of the Rings actor has been the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the USA since 2003. She has also been the spokesperson for Givenchy’s line of perfume and cosmetics.  

Tyler has a son (b. 2004) from her marriage to British musician Royston Langon (div. 2008). Additionally, she has two children, a son (b. 2015) and a daughter (b. 2016) with British sports and entertainment manager David Gardner, with whom she separated in 2021. 

Viggo Mortensen aka Aragon

Poet, photographer, musician, and actor—Viggo Mortensen is the complete package. 

After playing the character of Aragon in The Lord of the Rings, Mortensen collaborated with filmmaker David Cronenberg in four films namely, A History of Violence (2005), Eastern Promises (2007) for which he received an Oscar nomination, A Dangerous Method (2011) and sci-fi film Crimes of the Future (2021) alongside Kristen Stewart. 

The Lord of the Rings actor also explored the fine arts. In 2002, he set up the Perceval Press to publish his works and the works of other lesser-known artists. Being musically inclined, he also composed part of The Lord of the Rings soundtrack.  

Further, Mortensen was recently seen in Eureka (2023) and The Dead Don’t Hurt (2023). 

He has a son (b. 1988) with singer Exene Cervenka (div. 1997) and is now married to Spanish actress Ariadna Gil.

(Header and feature image courtesy: © 2001 – New Line Productions, Inc./IMDb)

This story first appeared here.