Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings is considered one of the best film series to be ever made. And to commemorate their contributions to this iconic franchise, the main cast of the film series, including Sean Astin and Ian McKellen, decided to get matching tattoos of the Elvish word for nine.
However, one of the cast members, John Rhys-Davies, opted against joining his co-stars in this gesture and allowed his stunt double to take his place. The 79-year-old actor recently reflected on his decision not to get the matching tattoo, as he discussed the meaning and significance of tattoos.
The Lord of the Rings Actor Reflects on Not Getting a Matching Tattoo
John Rhys-Davies portrayed the role of Gimli, a brave warrior who also provided a bit of comic relief to the story, in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. During his recent appearance on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum the actor was asked about the cast’s matching tattoos.
“I did what any self-respecting actor would do when faced with a dangerous stunt,” he said before adding, “I sent a stunt double.” When asked if he has any regrets over his decision, the actor said that he is not a “tattoo man,” as he does not like needles.
However, Rhys-Davies also described it as a generational difference, as he highlighted that tattoos hold particular significance within certain contexts, such as bonds of camaraderie among military personnel and cultural heritage in tribal communities like the Maori.
“I’m of a generation that actually respects two sorts of tattoos, really. One, serving military people. It’s part of that bonding thing that you have with your regiment, with your naval colleagues or your Air Force colleagues. And of course, there are tribes, the Maori, for instance, have tattoos.”
The actor humorously remarked that if he started getting a tattoo for every film that he had done over the course of his career, he would be heavily inked like the titular character of Ray Bradbury’s The Illustrated Man.
John Rhys-Davies is Not Too Fond of Tattoos
Getting a tattoo to celebrate their work on a film is not an uncommon practice among Hollywood stars. Five of the original cast members of The Avengers got matching tattoos after wrapping up Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
However, John Rhys-Davies does not seem too fond of such trends. Earlier in a conversation with ComicBook.com, the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny actor addressed his reluctance to partake in the tattoo trend popular among some Hollywood stars.
“You really think I want to have my lovely skin broken by a dirty needle?” the actor said. He further explained his aversion to tattoos, stating that with all the scars and injuries he’s accumulated throughout his life, including a missing finger, there’s already enough evidence of his adventures without needing tattoos.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy is available to stream on Max.
