Actually, it’s a couple of weeks old, but it took a while to get the thing loaded (once again, thank you, Benny). Be sure and watch on highest quality setting available and *WARNING. VIDEO CONTAINS FLASHING EFFECTS* Also contains a lot of images of gorgeous Richard Armitage. That requires a warning label in and of itself. It’s a rockin’ homage to our lovely lad’s sexy ChaRActers.
As promised to Teuchter, here’s the written transcript to Richard’s chat with the girls on the TODAY show in NYC. Was forced to watch repeatedly to make sure it was accurate. Such a chore, but I’m that kind of a self-sacrificing person. *cough*
I don’t have any screencaps of it, so I’ll just toss photo in because I LIKE IT.
Richard’s interview with Hoda and Kathie Lee on TODAY transcript
Kathie Lee: “If you were a fan of The Lord of the Rings, and who wasn’t, then you probably can’t contain your excitement waiting for the prequel to that fantasy film.”
Hoda: “Peter Jackson’s latest trilogy The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey returns to Middle-Earth and Richard Armitage plays Thorin Oakenshield who wants to reclaim his land for his people.”
Kathie Lee: “Good for him!” (Richard laughs off-camera.)
Hoda: “Let’s take a look-see.” (shows clip of film)
Hoda: “Oh, oh–” (points at Richard) “That was you--”
(A grinning Richard raises his wine glass as she speaks) “Cheers!” (he takes a drink and one of the ladies says, “I like you!”)
Hoda and Kathie Lee: “Down the hatch!”
Hoda: “That was delicious. (Richard makes face) How was that?”
Richard: (grimacing a little) “ You know, I’ve just brushed my teeth. I didn’t know if I’d be making out with you, so I brushed my teeth.”
(I think Hoda heard him say this and laughed, not sure it registered with Kathie)
Kathie Lee: (reaches out and pats him) “Thank you for being here.”
Richard: “Thank you.”
Hoda: “So you are six foot two at least, you seemed when you stood–”
Richard: “Yeah, about six two and a half.”
Hoda: And you play the leader of the dwarves. How did that work out?”
Kathie Lee: “That must have been an interesting casting call.”
Richard: “The phone call was very, very confusing and so I walked around my living room with bent knees and hunched back wondering ‘What’s he gonna do?’ And then of course, you realize Peter Jackson is a digital genius and he’d do all the work and I would focus on the script and the scene they gave me and went and met him.”
Kathie Lee: “Can you explain just a little bit how that’s done, the CGI, because you work a lot in front of a green screen, right?”
Richard: Yeah, in order to make us smaller they kind of make us look bigger. The thing is, if you shrink a person, they tend to look like a child and he wanted us to look like thick-set warriors and so we have on muscle suits beneath and big boots-”
Hoda: “You had a brush with the Hobbit when you were just a little boy, didn’t you—a long, long time ago. Tell us about that.”
Richard: “It was an equally high-profile production at the Alex Theatre in Birmingham-”
Kathie Lee: “That’s Birmingham, England, not Alabama.”
Richard: “Yeah, yeah, England. I was 13. Gollum was made out of paper and they didn’t have any money for a dragon, so he was made out of a red light and a puff of smoke–”
Kathie Lee: “Hey, that’s why we love thee-ater.”
Richard: “Yeah. Theatre. And actually I was an elf. I remember spinning around in circles eating grapes trying to tempt the dwarves into the forest.”
Kathie Lee: “Was that your first falling in love with the magic of acting? Was that your first role?”
Richard: “You know, when I trace it back and I look at the way I read that book I feel like it developed my imagination and you know the imagination is the thing that carries you through and it’s the reason why I became an actor, because I had a vivid imagination and I wanted to realize that.”
Kathie Lee: “What a full circle story that is, it’s amazing.”
Hoda: “Now, the LOTR trilogy, The Hobbit is the prequel to that. What do people need to know in case they haven’t seen the other three?”
Richard: “Absolutely nothing. I always felt like the Trilogy was like blood vessels that feed TH and there’s oxygen kind of flowing between the two ideas and there are cast members from both films that kind of appear together, So that for those who don’t know the trilogy it’s a new experience, for those that do, there are familiar faces.”
Kathie Lee: “So were you in NZ for 18 months, as is Peter’s habit, he shoots all three of the films at the same time?”
(Richard nods in agreement). “Yeah, 278 filming days.”
Hoda: “Are you kidding?”
Richard: That’s enough for sort of four movies, really.”
Kathie Lee: “So the next time you get a dwarf script, I bet you’re just gonna say, been there, done that.”
Richard: (laughs) Yeah, I know that’s what I’ve thought about, thanks.”
Kathie Lee: “So what do you have next? What’s in the–”
Richard: “I’ve just wrapped a movie called Black Sky which we shot in Detroit, which is a disaster movie about a tornado and it’s all found footage. And so it was a really interesting experience. It was James Cameron’s protege, Stephen Quayle, that shot it.” Hoda: “And what’s your role in that?”
Richard: “I play a school teacher who loses his son in the storm and has to go in search of him.”
Hoda: “Oh, OK.”
Kathie Lee: “Well, it’s a delight to meet you.”
Hoda: “Yeah, you’re so sweet.”
Kathie Lee: “We were a little afraid. You know, a very fine English actor type. What would you have in common with us? Wine!! So nice to meet you. All the best-”
Richard: “Can I say just one thing? Eileen Moran, who was one of the executive producers at Weta, she lost her battle with ovarian cancer Monday, so I’d like to send my personal condolences to her family.”
Kathie Lee and Hoda: “Oh, sure, sure. That is so sweet.”
Kathie Lee: (pointing at Richard) “I’m in love with him. He’s a doll.”
Hoda: “Me, too.”
Kathie Lee: “All the best. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in theatres December 14.”
This one is for you, Judit.
If you haven’t already, be sure and read this great interview with RA and enjoy Greendragon’s comments, too. I think she has the Good Taste Gene.
Okay, I’m sure everyone got the link to this in their email, but if not, you can read it here.
There are some great new tidbits we haven’t really heard him speak about yet, Richard talking about the emotion of the shoot and his excitement over what happens in the end. It is one of my favorite interviews in the last couple of days. Maybe because there wasn’t just more of the same. Plus, Greendragon understands what we want to know besides the movie tidbits:
Let me start by answering the question which I know will be on the minds of many readers… Yes, he really is that handsome. Yes, he really is that charming; he has the ability to make you feel, as he talks to you, that you are the only person who matters. This skill in focusing and being ‘in the moment’ is an important part…
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After collapsing fairly early again last night (all this Armitagemania is exhausting me!! LOL What must the poor man feel like??) I slept reasonably well and woke up around 6 a.m. to do some more Richarding. And some Richarding I have done! Twitter has all been a-flutter this morning with more links to photos, reviews, interviews, articles re RA and The Hobbit.
It’s been a busy day for cast members as they are popping up here and there all over NYC today promoting the film.
This has to be the cutest story out there today relating to the film. Go to the Buzzfeed link below to enjoy seeing TH cast with their mini-me Legos. All the photos are just great. http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/the-cast-of-the-hobbit-pose-with-their-lego-dopp
A very sexy Richard Armitage in Thorin garb showing off his Lego figure. Never have I wanted a Lego so very much.
And here is one of four collectible covers featuring the King himself, Thorin, on the special Inside The Hobbit issue of Entertainment Weekly. Mine should be in my box on Friday. Typically print subscribers get a copy with the collectible covers included. *squee*
Looking fierce, Mr. Armitage!
And—-I finally got to see Richard on American TV! In a brief but adorable interview with Hoda and Kathie Lee on TODAY, Richard looked marvelous (Lucas in Guy black). He’s absolutely breathtaking in High Definition. I recorded it on my DVR and I’ve rewatched it, oh–a few times. He get to see him drink wine and in full flirty-girty Lee mode, too (channeling all sorts of characters, it seems). We also see what a good, compassionate heart he has. *sigh*
Here’s the link to the YouTube upload.
And now, the latest post–featuring that beautiful young prince named Thorin. O. M. G.
Wow, just wow. What a morning, my darlings! What a morning!
the armitage effect 