J.R.R Tolkien’s sweeping novel The Lord of the Rings became a cinematic marvel in the hands of director Peter Jackson through a trilogy of films that ruled the box office. Jackson also went on to direct the prequel to these films by adapting Tolkien’s The Hobbit books. The 3-part film series saw British actor Martin Freeman portraying the role of the younger Bilbo Baggins and his journey through the epic.
Expectedly, The Hobbit franchise lived up to the hype with Peter Jackson’s trademark technical prowess being evident in ample measure. Freeman too received praise for his involved performance in the film. The Black Panther star though, had a few uncomfortable moments on set when he was unable to stomach a certain scene on realizing how it was filmed.
Martin Freeman Was Disgusted By The Reality Of The Iconic Barrel Scene in The Hobbit 2
In 2013, British actor Martin Freeman landed the marquee titular role in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, a prequel to the famous The Lord of the Rings franchise. Over 3 films, the Marvel star portrayed the journey of a young Bilbo Baggins and received positive responses from audiences and critics alike. While Freeman’s experience on set was a memorable one, the Sherlock actor also faced some rude shocks when he learned about what went on while filming.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug which was the 2nd installment in The Hobbit trilogy, featured an iconic 7-minute segment involving a thrilling barrel escape by the dwarfs from the elves. While this scene was technically of the highest quality and had the quintessential Peter Jackson stamp on it, a particular aspect of the filming disturbed Martin Freeman no end.
The actor discovered that many members of the cast who were inside the specially constructed tanks were forced to relieve themselves in the water owing to long periods of filming without a restroom or a lunch break. Freeman was even more angered and disgusted to learn that he had inadvertently drunk a good deal of this water, especially due to the fact that his character spent a considerable amount of time in it.
Martin Freeman Was The Only Choice To Play Bilbo Baggins For Peter Jackson
Apart from his Marvel gig and Sherlock, Black Panther star Martin Freeman is best known for his titular role in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films. Freeman portrayed Bilbo Baggins in the trilogy and became synonymous with the character. Jackson, who was adamant about casting only the Fargo star in the role, made great efforts to make this a reality. Freeman, on account of being committed to BBC’s Sherlock at the time, was unable to juggle his schedules to sign on for The Hobbit. But the Oscar-winning filmmaker ensured that no obstacles stood in the way of casting the British star. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Freeman said,
“And then I got a call from [my agent] who said there’s been a change of plan. Peter Jackson has rearranged the schedule of The Hobbit around you, so that you can start The Hobbit, then go off and do Sherlock and then finish The Hobbit again. That was an amazing thing to hear, because talk about a vote of confidence.”
The Secret Invasion actor went on to add that he felt extremely lucky and fortunate to have someone like Peter Jackson trusting his talent enough to ensure that he was the first and only choice for the role.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, IMDb
