An Interview with the Hobbits

According to actor Elijah Wood, Hobbits aren’t size queens…when it comes to their oversized feet.

“Ah, no,” the fresh-faced Wood laughs. “The bigger the feet, the more annoying they became to walk around in.”

Wood spent The Lord of the Rings film trilogy — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King — skipping about in a pair of latex rubber feet.

So did Hobbit costars Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.

“I [kept] my last pair of feet,” Wood admits. “But I think they stink at the moment. See, what happens is, they decay over time, and the ammonia starts to come out, [so] they start smelling like urine, which is a bit of a bummer.”

Whether Rings writer J.R.R. Tolkien, an Oxford professor married with children, consciously instilled a queer read within the pages of the books is open to interpretation.

“No, I don’t think Tolkien wrote that,” Boyd opines.

Regardless, for three years, queer audiences have taken particular interest in the extremely close, intimate relationships among those Hobbits, particularly when it comes to Frodo (Wood) and his best friend, Sam (Astin). They cuddle, hug, hold hands, pine, weep over each other (while shirtless in one case!), and kiss.

In the Two Towers book, Sam even openly proclaims regarding Frodo: “I love him.”

Hobbits aren’t the only element of Rings that’s gay. Out thespian Sir Ian McKellen plays the wizard Gandalf.

Cutie Orlando Bloom, who nonetheless insists he’s straight, plays gorgeous Elf Legolas. And Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’s Hugo Weaving portrays Elrond.

But back to those Hobbits–Sam, Frodo, Merry (Monaghan), and Pippin (Boyd).

To discuss the queerness of their characters (or lack thereof), McKellen’s input regarding the situation, and the upcoming Oscars, the Hobbit actors sat down for a chat in New York City’s Regency Hotel.

So, do you think Tolkien had queer Hobbits in mind?

Dominic Monaghan: I don’t think he was thinking along those lines. I think he, as a person, hopefully, was able to show his emotions quite freely between both female and male sexes. Showing affection to the male of the species, which is something I am a fighter for. I don’t understand how men aren’t allowed to show affection, yet it’s fine for girls. I think if we’re going to evolve as human beings, we need to allow men to be as affectionate as they want to be with each other.

Elijah Wood: I kiss my male friends!

Monaghan: I want to be an ambassador for straight men to hug and kiss!

Let’s talk specifically about Sam and Frodo. How aware were you of the gay element, and did you incorporate that into your performances?

Wood: It was never the perspective from which we played the characters or the relationship. The book is up for interpretation. A lot of people have embraced those characters from a homosexual perspective. I think that’s the beauty of books–to be able to relate to a certain nature of a character from your own perspective.

I think that we kind of felt a little closer to the way Tolkien described the characters’ relationship. Frodo is sort of like a general in the war, and Sam is his batboy, his confidant, the person he relies upon the most. I think that’s the perspective from which we actually played the characters out.

Sean Astin: I believe that the relationship between Frodo and Sam demonstrates a powerful love bond between two males, but for me, there’s the absence of sexuality. Hobbits are innocent. When they cry, they burst into tears. When they laugh, it’s just uproarious. They experience all of life’s emotions in their most acute and crystalline form, and they’re prolific!

It stands to reason, if they’re more intense with each other, wouldn’t they have a sexual life together as well?

Astin: You can make that argument, and I’m sure there’s probably lots of evidence in the books and movies to help satisfy your case. I don’t want to disavow anyone’s experience in the movies or of the characters. I wanted to honor the sanctity, the dignity, of the character.

To me, when Sam loves Frodo, he loves him in a way that is total. He’s devoted to him. I don’t think Sam would feel jealous if Frodo was with a girl. But Frodo’s not with a girl, so can you make that argument? I suppose you could.

Frodo and Sam actually have a kiss–although just on the forehead–at the end of the film. Did you consider doing a deep, smooth take?

Wood: [Mocks getting ready for a deep one] Let’s do this! Not really. [Laughs] The kiss at the end is–it’s that sort of what do you do? How do you say good-bye to this person that has given you so much, and I think we did it in the right way. There’s something about kissing someone on the forehead–there’s something profound about it. The image that evokes–it says it all about Frodo saying good-bye to his greatest friend. Have people been talking about that a lot?

Oh, yes! Someone behind me snapped during the screening and yelled, “Just kiss him, already!” I understand that Ian McKellen gave his two cents a few times regarding Sam and Frodo during the shoot, didn’t he?

Wood: Ian would often try to throw in certain affectionate elements. There’s actually a scene–I think it’s in the extended version of the first movie–where Frodo’s lying in bed at Rivendell, and Sam goes in up to him. Ian was, like, [imitates McKellen] “Well, listen, darling, in the book, Sam holds his hand, and I think you should. Fans will be looking for that, darling!”

How do you feel about Oscars? Director Peter Jackson may go up for one.

Wood: I think he deserves it. It would be a real shame if he didn’t. But I can’t make predictions. I can never tell. It’s so political. I find that kind of disheartening. It gives it very little meaning.

And for yourself, Sean? Your character really comes into his own and has big hero moments in this one!

Astin: I don’t know. I think so much discussion has happened. If I don’t get a nomination for Lord of the Rings, I will experience five minutes of incredible disappointment–and then, I’ll be fine!

Lavender Magazine

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